Shadows of the Light
by Dragon Dagger
Summary: The Battle with Talpa is over. What could go wrong with training Mia a little
1. Default Chapter

It was a peaceful morning for all of the ronin warriors as they came down the stairs for breakfast. Cye was in the kitchen cooking some of his pancakes and the others wanted to get down stairs to get some before Kento could wake up and beat them to it.

As the scent wafted up the stairs it woke up Mia and Kento. Mia was relaxed as Talpa had been beaten for good now and she could afford to relax. Suddenly she heard the fast clatter of feet down the stairs and groaned inwardly as she knew what was going to happen next. "5-4-3-2-1" she counted down to herself and as she finished with one she heard the outraged cries of the other ronins as Kento made his enterance to the kitchen and started eating.

Hoping to forstall any fights that would erupt and disturb the peaceful morning Mia got out of bed quickly and threw on the nearest set of clothes. Running down the stairs she stopped outside of the kitchen door and listened. Hearing the sounds of the imminant scuffle she push the door open and ducked as a fork came flying at her. That tore it she was not going to referee another kitchen brawl today.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" All of the ronins stopped what they were doing when they heard the tone in Mia's voice. She meant business and they knew that they were all in trouble. Cye stepped forward to apologise, but Mia cut him off. "No Cye, I don't want to hear it this morning. It is to nice a day for you all to be squabbling over breakfast.

Mia walked over to the toaster and made herself two pieces of toast adn puoured herself some tea and headed out to the back yard of the mansion. Eating and drinking as she walked she noticed that the guys did not even try to follow her let alone stop her.

Thinking back on the memories of the battles that Rowen, Sage, Ryo, Kento, and Cye had fought she was forced to remember that they had all lost a good friend in the battle with Kayura. Speaking to the breeze she spoke of her hopes. "Anubis, wherever you are, I hope that you are well and happy."

Turning around she noted that Kento stood at a distance from her as if he was waiting for her to calm down. "What is it Kento?"

"Mia, could you take me into town today? I have some errands that I need to run." Kento looked almost jumpy as if Mia's temper would flare up again.

"Of course Kento, Where do you need to go?"

"To the Mall."

"Ok, I think that I will just go in and see if anyone else needs to go into town for anything else and then we can get going." Mia was startled when she tried to pass Kento he grabbed her arm and spoke in low tones.

"No Mia, I need to go alone this time. Please?" There was that look again. One of the few looks that she found hard to resist and she also found herself intrigued that Kento wanted to forgo the company of his friends.

"Alright Kento, Let my grab my keys, Meet me at the jeep and we'll get going." Smiling to herself she headed into the house and found that the kitchen had been cleaned up from the morning mess and the chairs put to rights.

Grabbing her keys she headed to the front door when she heard Ryo comming down the stairs. "Hey Mia, Where you off to?"

"I am headed into town with Kento, and no you guys are not going along this time." Headed out the door she failed to notice Ryo's look of shock and amazement at her phrases as he headed back up the stairs.

"The boys are well able to take care of themselves while I am gone for the afternoon, so why am I worried about leaving them alone in the house?" Her thoughts were pushed aside as she noticed Kento was a little agetated as she walked up to the Jeep.

"Ok Kento, We're going." Mia unlocked the jeep and they started on their way towards town. Looking over at Kento she noticed that he was unusually quiet. "What's wrong Kento? you look like you are about to go meet Talpa in a conference."

Kento snapped out of his revery and looked at Mia, his old self restored. "Ha, you really think I would look like this if I were to meet Talpa again?? No way that creep could take me on."

Mia smiled as she heard this as she knew that Kento knew that he would not try to take Talpa on his own after their last battle with the evil Warlord. As they reached the Mall Kento jumped out of the Jeep and ran into the Mall. "See you in about 3 hours Mia."

"Huh, I wonder what was so important that he is going with out the guys? Oh well, I need to do some shopping and get some excersize other than the kind I get from practicing with the guys." She turned and walked in another direction in the mall and tried to make a decision on where to go to next.

((OK folks. Here is the standard run of claims and counter claims. I do not own any rights to the Ronin Warriors or any of the shows characters. I am A fan hence I write fan fics involving the characters. Any character that is not in the Ronin Warrior story board (here or in Japan) Is MINE you hear me!!! ;) I thank you for reading and hope you will stay tuned for part two.))


	2. Chapter 2

Mia was waiting at the Jeep when she saw Kento come out of the mall. He looked less jumpy and definately more in control so she shrugged him comming here alone as a need to get away from the guys teasing and bantering. Looking at Kento as he got into the Jeep she asked. "So Kento, how was your time away from the guys??" 

He looked up at her in surprise and then covered. "It was fine. Just needed some me time thats all." Mia nodded and smiled. "Believe me, I know what that is like. Can you imagine how it is for me to have the five of you living with me full time and a tiger and then having Yuli over as often as he is?" Mia smiled. It wasn't as if she resented the guys being there. It was just the fact that she has had to make some major adjustments to her life since they showed up the first time when Talpa started his attacks on Toyama.

As they returned to the Mansion they found the others out back practicing. as they walked out onto the porch Kento started getting the cat calls and hoots from Sage and Cye. "Hot date with Mia Kento??"

Sage chimed in. "Yeah, how was it Mia."

Rowen stayed out of it but he could not help but smile as his friends tormented the two. "Alright guys, I think that We had better leave them alone, we all know what Kento is like in practice when we get him upset."

The guys looked at him strangely. "Have you been to high in the atmosphere Ro??"

"No, but I would like to be able to walk after practice." This shut all of the ronins up as they remembered what happened the last time they upset the big guy with their torments. None of them escaped the severe bruisings that he dished out.

Mia smiled and went back into the house to prepare lunch and the first aide kit for the possible cuts and bruises that accompanied some of their harder practices. Kento donned his sub armor and ran down to the guys and started in on practicing with the rest of them.

"You can do better than that Kento!"

"Oh yeah, how is this for better." Kento did a jumping 360 round house kick aimed at Ryo's head. As he ducked Kento was already on the ground sweeping his feet out from under him. Ryo fell flat on his back with a surprised "OOF. Hey buddy, where did you learn that move?"

"I have known it for a while now. I just never used it, never had a chance to." Kento shrugged off the implied complement and back flipped to avoid the flying side kick Cye had done. "oooo Now you gone and done it bro, Now you have to fight me." Kento grinned as he faught. He was doing betterthan he ever had done before and the effect was not lost on the other ronin warriors. 

"Jeez Sage, where did he learn all this stuff. I mean usually he sticks with the basics and holds his own. Now he's clobbering us in sparring matches." Rowen looked at Sage who was studying the Hardrock warrior.

"I don't know Rowen, but I'd hazard a guess that something has happened that is making him try. I mean we all knew he was good but I think he has been holding back on us. You know what happenes when he cuts loose on those dinasty goons."

"Your right, hmmm Makes me wonder if there is something wrong in his life right now." Looking at Ryo and Cye taking Kento on he noticed that Kento was holding his own against the two and it almost looked like he was having fun. Rowen whistled as soon as he saw Mia come out of the house and everyone stopped. "Hey guys, How bout we take a break?? I think its lunch time."

"Lunch?, Goody!" In a flash of orange Kento was out of his armor and into the house. By the time the other Ronins and Mia got into the house Kento was at the table eating as fast as he could. Sage looked at Rowen and muttered. "What ever sparked him it has not affected his appetite."

The guys all sat down to the table and started their usual eating and fighting as Mia sighed and stood at the counter eating a sandwich. She zoned out and started thinking about their last battle with Kayura. Anubis died saving her and she did not fail the ronins in their expectations. She was the last of the ancients, or was she. Some how Mia did not think that Kayura was the last of the ancient's line. But what was the use of making the Ronins think that she was the last of the line??

Suddenly she was snapped out of her reverie by Cye's voice. "So Kento, Tell us how your Hot date with Mia went?" The tone was neutral but Mia saw the look in his eyes and decided to put a stop to this fight before it got started. 

"Listen. There was no date. Kento needed some time away from you all and decided to spend it in town. we got into town and I did not see him for 3 solid hours. We met up again and came back to the house. Is that so hard for you all to comprehend??" Mia was upset but the only thing that kept her calm enough to stay with the boys was Kento's look of gratification when she set the rumors on their ears.

All of the other ronins were about as red as Ryo's armore when she finished explaining their day. Muttering to them selves Cye was the first to look up. "Sorry Kento, Mia." The others nodded in agreement and Mia sighed. "As long as I do not hear any more of this I guess you are all forgiven. But I can't say anything for Kento. He is the one you should be really apologising to."

Ryo looked at Kento and smiled. "Sorry man, Hope you're cool with us." Kento stopped eating long enough to look up at Ryo. "Its cool, just get your facts strait first alright??" Cye, Ryo, Sage, and Rowen nodded in agreement and they finished their meal. But Mia had one more surprise for them all before they could leave. 

"As long as you are living here..." All five of the Ronins looked at her with something akin to aprehension in their eyes. "I have taken the Liberty of enrolling you all in the Highschool in town. You will all be seniors But you all still have a lot to learn." The guys groaned. "School, Why should we go to school?" That was Ryo from the back of the group. "Because if you don't go to school and actually go to class I will have you all looking for your own apartments in town. I can not have you here all day long with nothing to do. I can see that you all are already getting on each others nerves and I figure that you can spend some of that energy helping each other through the school work." She pinned a look on Rowen as she mentioned helping out with the school work.

"ok, so we go to school, What are we taking for classes then??" Sage querried. You could see the wheels turning in his head about the possibilities of the girls that he might meet in his classes. Mia Grinned as she passed out the scheduals. They went a Like this.

Cye: Biology, Geometry, Gym, Concert Choir, English, History

Ryo: Geometry, Chemistry, Gym, English, Sociology, Pottery

Sage: English, Biology, Gym, Sociology, Pre-Calc, Band

Rowen: Trig, Bio Chemestry, Gym, History, English, Sketching

Kento: Algebraic Equations, English, Gym, Band, History, Biology

"Hey, We all have the same gym class!"

"That's right Ryo. I made the suggestions that they allow you guys to have the same gym class so that you guys could integrate better into the school. You will have your seperate classes but you will also have your gym class together to keep you all in touch with each other." Mia grinned to herself knowing that putting the guys in the same gym class spelled exaustion for the other classmates and the gym teacher. especially if he put them all on the same team. She looked up and could tell that they were all thinking pretty much the same thing.

"Hey Mia? When do we all start?" Rowen seperated himself from the group and came up to her with the question. Looking around at the guys she smiled and went up stairs gesturing for the guys to stay downstairs for a few moments. When she came back down stairs she had six back packs with books, notebooks, pencils, pens and calculators for them all. She handed out the bags and let them look through them before she was asked another question.

"Hey, There are six bags. Who has the sixth?" Mia turned to Cye. "I do."

The others looked up at her in surprise. "I am going back to college to finish out my schooling. While you are in school I will be too. Tuesday nights you will have to fend for yourselves as I have evening classes as well as day classes."

"Whoa Mia, that seems like a lot of classes. You sure you can handle it all??" Ryo was looking around at the mansion, the guys and White Blaze who had just walked into the room.

"Actually Ryo, I don't have that many classes. My class times are just longer than yours. While you have 7 hours in school.. and hour for each class and lunch I have class times of 3-4 hours long, and only two or three classes a day." Ryo nodded understanding.

"Well I guess we had all better get some rest. Monday is tomorrow and I do not think it would be a good idea to show up with bruises from our sparring matches." Kento looked at the guys as they thought about his idea.

As they started to reluctantly agree Mia spoke up. "I know you do not want to give up your afternoon practice so How about you all spar with some one that can not do to much damage to you yet?" Looking at them she saw a moment of confusion on their faces before they realized that she was speaking about her training.

"Alright Mia, Sounds good to me." Sage looked at the others as they nodded their agreement. Normally they would have paired her with Kento as he was the best person to practice with, but after this morning's little display they decided it would be best for all of them if Rowen paired with her.

Mia was upstairs in a flash and got changed into the light sparring armor that Sage had brought over from his parent's Dojo. It looked a bit like the Ronins Subarmor but she knew that they would still have to hold back on their attacks untill she became fast enough to dodge or block their attacks with out getting hurt.

As she came back down she noticed that all the ronins were out back already and to her surprise White Blaze was with them. Curious she walked out and noticed again that they were not in their sub armors. ~Make sense since they are all pretty fast and strong even with out the armors.~ She thought to herself. Rowen stepped out of the group and helped her warm up as she had not streached yet today. When she was warmed up Rowen Took her through the moves that she had already been taught and then proceeded to teach her new ones.

When they were all certain that she knew the new moves Cye, Kento, Ryo and Sage moved around to make the corners of the sparring area. They had enlarged the area that Mia could spar in considerably since she first started and now that she was giving them a work out they found that she could really hold her own in a fight. To Mia's further surprise the tiger stepped into the square and stood between the two. With a look that plainly said. ~Do your best~ He lept out of the ring and turned to watch the fight.

Mia faltered at the beginning as she was used to Kento's heavier fighting style but she quickly adjusted her attack style and started making Rowen sweat. Rowen was on defence most of the time as he tried to figure Mia and her attacks out. Just as he thought he knew her angles he was surprised as she changed. ~Where did she pick this up??~ Rowen was surprised as he landed on his butt as she swept him while he was distracted. The guys were laughing and lightly taunting Rowen as he tried a few attacks. 

Some of his attacks got through but Mia was cat like quick in the ring. A fact that surprised all of the Ronins when she did spar for the first time. I did not even look like she was thinking about her attacks but you knew that Mia never did anything with out thinking. Mia managed to land a side kick to Rowen's chest and as he fell she planted her foot on his chest preventing him from rising. Rowen tapped the ground in a sign of submission but Mia was not responding. As he looked up he noticed a strange glow to her eyes, and as the pressure from her foot increased he noticed that there was a Katana in her hands poised to strike. The guys in the corners of the ring donned their sub armors and called Mia's name. They were worried for their friend and yet they also wondered where the Katana came from as it had a peculiar look in both the handle and the Blade. 

((OK folks. Here is the standard run of claims and counter claims. I do not own any rights to the Ronin Warriors or any of the shows characters. I am A fan hence I write fan fics involving the characters. Any character that is not in the Ronin Warrior story board (here or in Japan) Is MINE you hear me!!! ;) I thank you for reading and hope you will stay tuned for part three.))


	3. Chapter 3

As Mia whipped the blade down Rowen cried out. "MIA!!" The sword stopped and then dissappeared as Mia's eyes returned to normal. "What happened?? How did you get down there Rowen??" As the guys helped Rowen up they all wondered at Mia. "Well umm, well Mia, Basically you got really fast in the ring and the next thing I knew you had swept my feet out from under me and pinned me with your foot. When I looked up you were about to give me some rather perminant brain surgery with that Katana of yours."

"Katana?? I don't have a Katana that I would use. Where is it now??" Mia was now thouroughly confused and also looked very pale. Walking over to the steps of the porch she sat down in the shade. As she looked to her friends for the answers to her questions she noted that the four corner holders were in their sub armors and they looked distinctly shaken.

"Well Mia" Sage started "I am not for sure what all happened. First you are sparrign with Rowen and the next thing we know he is on the ground with you pinning him ready to slice him open. I don't know where the Katana came from but you had this really weird look in your eyes. It was as if your pupils has swallowed your Irises." Sage paused to let her soak the information in. "When you made to strike Rowen called your name and you snapped out of it. Almost like your concentration had been broken or something."

Ryo then startled. "Hey, where was White Blaze when all of this happened?? I mean he has faster reflexes than all of us and he would have known something was wrong." They all looked around and then The big cat came out of the house looking at Mia as if he knew that something was going on and that it involved her. He looked over to Ryo and Ryo looked back. Addressing the tiger he spoke. Hey, what has gotten into you. I would have thought that you would have protected Rowen." White Blaze calmly walked over to Rowen and looked him over, gave him a sniff and a quick lick over the face with his huge tongue and looked at Ryo as if to say. ~He is alright, what is the big deal.~

Rowen was the first to speak out through the stillness. "Look you guys. I am fine...and will be fine. The main worry right now is what is going on with Mia and this show she just put on for us and if there is any more of what is there to begin with.

Mia just sat there listening to the guys and thinking about what had happened. No matter how she tried though she could not remember what happened after she swept him the second time till she heard her name called. It was as if something had clicked in her shutting most of her off. She shook her head and shrugged the whole day off as a one time occurance. She interrupted them. "Guys, how about we talk about this tomorrow when we have all had some sleep and have all been to school." She yawned. "Or you five can talk all night but I am beat." She stood up and went into the Mansion and everyone was surprised when White Blaze followed her.

-----

When she woke up to her alarm the next morning she found that the guys were already up, and ready for school. Even Kento was done eating so she grabbed a sandwich and they all got into the jeep and headed into town. 

About half way to the school she noted there were none of the usual fights that accompanied getting into and riding in the small vehicle. "What's up with you guys this morning, you all seem like you are going to your funerals or something." Ryo spoke up. "Its nothing like that...It's just that we were all thinking about what happened yesterday durring those sparring matches." Cye cut in. "Yeah, First Kento wipes the mats with us then you and your episode that we still can't figure out."

That started Mia thinking again. ~What did happen last night. The more I think about it the more I am sure that was something that can be repeated if I am not careful.~

As they reached the Highschool the guys got out with their bags and were greeted by the principal. Waving to Mia that they would be fine they all walked into the school and Mia continued on to the college.

Unknownst to any of them a figure appeared at the Koji mansion. Unchaining White Blaze he gave the tiger instructions to follow Mia. "Listen my friend. Something is happening to Mia and she must be watched very carefully. You already know that she has started in her abilities. She must be watched to make sure that she does not use them unwittingly on any one." The tiger nodded and ran out the door and into town towards the college keeping to the shadows so as not to frighten any of the people in the city.

He soon located where Mia was and settled into the trees watching her through the windows. As she went from her first class to her second the big cat noticed that he would have to watch Mia even closer in the class as it was a gym class. 

-----

The guys were in Highschool and were enjoying themselves a little until they all met up for gym. As they greeted each other in the locker room they noted that it was time to get to the gym.

Once there they were introduced to the class and sat in the same squad. Looking at each other they knew that this class was going to be a breeze. The instructor called their attention and started class. The first question was if any one knew anything about the Martial arts or the arts of self defence. All of the guys grinned at each other and raised their hands along with well over half the class. When asked if any one had to use their training in an actual self defence situation Kento muttered. "and who out of this group hasn't??"

The instructor heard Kento and smiled. "Well Kento since you seem to be so knowlegable about the arts of self defence why don't you pick a partner from the class and put on a demonstration for us." Kento turned red as he looked at the others for a volenteer. Rowen stood up and volenteered and he and Kento moved to the center of the gym where a circle of tape had been made to mark the boundries. "Hey Kento should we go easy or should we show them what kicked those tin can goons from Talpa?" Rowen muttered Grinning at Kento. Kento nodded to the first. "No need to show off yet bro although I would not mind showing off it probably would not look good for us to show up the class." Kento grinned as he took his position across from Rowen. "Ready Rowen??" Rowen nodded and they began. As the match moved along they had to try to not show off and stick to the basics and in this Kento excelled. They were fairly evenly matched when they did not use any special moves that they developed from battling the dynasty and it still looked good to the instructor.

As he stopped the match he looked at Kento. "You have sparred with this boy before??" Kento smiled at Rowen as they could guess what would be comming up. "Yes sir."

"Well then you know what moves to anticipate from him then. That is the sparring portion of Self defence. Now what about the unexpected?" The instructor looked at Kento and he respectfully answered. "Instructor I believe that I can handle the unexpected pretty well."

"Well then how about you take on Rochi here? I think he will be a better test for you." Kento bowed to Rowen and watched as a Tall and powerfully built teen stepped into the ring. "Well Mr. Kento Faun, I think you have met your match in me."

Kento kept a strait face and even hid his reaction to that statement in his eyes but he could hear the other Ronins snickering. As Kento bowed to Rochi he suddenly saw a foot come at him and he used his backwards momentum from him snapping up to carry him over into a back flip that helped him avoid the kick.

"Hey, cheap shot there punk. Got any more??" Kento was fast losing his control over his mouth and he knew it was going to get him into one heck of a fight. He was right and Rochi followed up with a fast series of kicks and punches that would have disarmed even some of the more experianced fighters in the class. It was to bad that none of them had Kento's background or they would have known that he was not even using his abilities to block and dodge all of the attacks.

"Common, Is that the best you can do??" Kento knew he was egging the guy on and knew it would get him into trouble but he was looking for a work out. He soon saw his opening and landed a solid punch square in the teen's chest knocking him backwards and onto the ground. As Rochi gasped for the air that Kento knocked out of him Kento knelt beside him with a worried look on his face. "Hey are you ok dude??" Rochi looked up at Kento and smiled. "Man kid, I am never making that mistake again that was one sweet punch you dealt me and I consede the match." Kento smiled and helped Rochi up to his feet. "Thanks dude, you gave me a good work out as well."

The teacher had been as engrossed with the fight that he did not notice that most of the class was already over. when he looked at the clock he called out over the din of the students. "Class dismissed, Ryo, Kento, Rowen, Cye and Sage I want to see you after school please to discuss a special assignment."

----

Mia was also having a martial arts lesson in her gym class but she was not asked to demonstrate her skills as she thought that she would not be able to go up agains the students that could possibly rival Sage or Ryo. But in the end she was asked to spar with one of the Black belts in the class having had to confess that she was currently learning the arts of self defence. Again she was doing fine in the ring untill she managed to knock her opponent down. Her eyes turned black and the sword and this time Bracers appeared on her hands and arms. There was a loud Crash as White Blaze flew through the window and knocked Mia down. She did not lose her sword or bracers when her concentration was broken and the tiger had to hold her down with his paw and keep every one away from him and the woman held untill she returned to normal. 

When she struggled to get up his indications that she had returned to Mia again was her identification of him. "White Blaze will you get your great paw off my back??" As he let her up he noticed that she looked tired and stood by and let her use him to get herself back on her feet. As her eyes focused she noted that the entire gym class was staring at her terrified and finally her gym instructor spoke up. "Miss Koji, Please step away from that beast, he might harm you."

To this Mia Laughed. "Sorry sir, I know this tiger and I know for a fact that he will not harm me or any one of you." Looking down at White Blaze. "Thank you my friend. Now I need for you to leave." The tiger nodded in understanding and nudged her hand with his nose and jumped to the window. Once there he gave out a growl/purr and then jumped out of the window and dissappeared.

((OK folks. Here is the standard run of claims and counter claims. I do not own any rights to the Ronin Warriors or any of the shows characters. I am A fan hence I write fan fics involving the characters. Any character that is not in the Ronin Warrior story board (here or in Japan) Is MINE you hear me!!! ;) I thank you for reading and hope you will stay tuned for part four.))


	4. Chapter 4

Mia was excused from her class early to pick up the boys even though she had a time of it trying to keep the gym instructor from calling campus security to apprehend White Blaze. As she left in her jeep for the highschool her eyes were troubled as she again could not remember what happened. She knocked her opponent down and then White Blaze was pinning her to the sparring mat. What was wrong with her?

By the time she got to the highschool she had recovered enough that she was able to hide from the Ronins that she was tired. When they asked if anything happened that day she knew that she would have to tell then eventually that she blacked out again but there would be time for that when they got back to the mansion. She kept silent and the guys were fairly quiet as well until she asked them about their first day back in school. They all came alive then each trying to describe their classes untill they all reached their gym class. Then their stories congeled and what they told her made her laugh. "So what was this special assignment that Instructor Naves had for you all?" Kento puffed his chest out as he told her. "We are to be the instructors for the martial arts portion of the class." 

Mia smiled. She should have figured that the guys would do fine on their own. "That's great Kento, I'm glad that you all are getting along in school with the other students." The guys were happy and she was ready for a nap but she knew that eventually one of them would remember that she had not answered their question on how she did in school.

As they pulled up to the house they found White Blaze out side the house prowling as he waited for them to get out of the Jeep he waited by Mia's door for her to get out. Mia got out and patted him on the head acting as if nothing was wrong and he got the message that she had not told the guys yet.

Ryo noticed that the tiger had been hanging around Mia quite a bit since their first encounter with her budding abilities and wondered if he might know something that they would have to wait and see about. They went their separate ways to finishe their home work, Kento complaining all the way that no one should have home work on the first day of school. Mia went up into her room and the guys to their respective rooms and got to work.

Mia was still curious about what was happening to her and decided that she would try to research it. she got down to the library and turned on her computer and started pulling out her grandfather's note books and set to work.

------

The guys were wondering why the house was so quiet untill they heard Kento's stomach growling. They then all looked at the clock and noticed that it had been 5 hours since school had let out and Mia had not called them to dinner or anything. They went downstairs to look for her and found that they did not have to look very far to find her.

She was still at her computer looking through her grandfathers notes and through the notes and diagrams on the screen. "Whats up Mia??" Sage was surprised to see Mia jump in her seat and then relax as she recognised the guys standing int he doorway of the library. Looking out the windows she was surprised to find that it was dark outside. "Goodness, I am sorry guys I should have started dinner a long time ago. I guess I got a little caught up inmy research."

The Rowen, Ryo, Kento and Cye all looked at each other while Sage looked at Mia worriedly. It wasn't like her to completely forget about the day to day activities while she researched.

Ryo spoke up. "Are you sure that you are ok Mia?? You have been acting kinda funny ever since you got out of school today."

The question though kindly meant was not to well recieved by Mia. "Why shouldn't I be alright. I should be used to strange things happening to me by now!" Her voice rose in pitch and volume as she ranted. All of the Ronins back up completely caught off guard. This was not the Mia Koji they knew, and suddenly Mia wasn't there.

((OK folks. Here is the standard run of claims and counter claims. I do not own any rights to the Ronin Warriors or any of the shows characters. I am A fan hence I write fan fics involving the characters. Any character that is not in the Ronin Warrior story board (here or in Japan) Is MINE you hear me!!! ;) I thank you for reading and hope you will stay tuned for part five.))


	5. Chapter 5

"Where'd she go!" Cye started to really worry untill he looked out the window and noticed that she was in the back yard workign off a large amount of energy. "Umm Guys, I do not think it is a good idea to bug her right now."

"Why the heck not Cye." Rowen walked over to Cye and looked out where he was pointing and his eyes got wide. "Where did she learn those moves?? None of us taught her those."

-----

Mia Blinked out of the room and found herself in the practice area of the back yard and decided to try and work off the incredible ammount of energy that she felt. She was flipping around doing arial kicks and stunts that she never knew that she had to capacity to do. Suddenly she felt herself winking in and out as if she was teleporting from one place to another. ~Strange feeling but yet it feels completely natural to me. No fear about this at all.~ Little did she know that the guys were watching her from the windows of the library, amazed at what she was doing. Then when Ryo looked around he noted that White Blaze was out in the yard clamly watching Mia. ~What is the deal here. Mia's flipping out on us and White Blaze is making it seem like this is perfectly natural.~ When he turned around he saw Rowen at Mia's computer looking at the information he found on the screen, his face was blanched almost completely white.

"Ro, what's going on??" Ryo's question made the rest of the team look at Rowen and wonder what was going on. 

Well Ryo, it seems that there is a counter part to us out there. A spirit Armor that can only be donned by one person in each generation. It says here that the Armor has the power to take on all five of the ronin armors." 

"WHAT!!" The guys all lookes at him in shock. "Ok, so there is a spirit armor to counter part us. What is triggering it to appear on Mia?" Sage asked as he looked out the window then added. "And why isn't White Blaze as concerned about it as the rest of us??"

As they all looked out the window they all noticed that she was now moving almost to fast for them to follow with the naked eye and she was now fully covered heat to foot in a Black and silver trimmed armor and was whipping two Katana's not unlike Ryo's twin Dachi's with deadly ease.

"It seems that us training her has triggered the spirit armor. The Spirit follows the ronin armors but never manifests itself until the Ronins start training some one in all of their skills, like we have been doing lately." Rowen had turned back to the computer. "Until the Spirit is certain that the bearer is worthy it is going to be really hard to train with her as the spirit awakens during a battle and it seems that the only person that the armor will respect other than the bearer untill it has settled would be one mystical white tiger.

"WHITE BLAZE!!!" They all shouted. "So that's why that cat wasn't afraid to get in Mia's way." Kento pointed out the obvious but for once the guys did not tease him. They had bigger things to worry them now. Mia was being posessed and right now they did not trust the armor.

-----

"You have nothing to fear in the Soul armor Ronins." As they whipped around Rowen had already identified the intruder. "Anubis, How is it that you can be here?? I thought that you were dead..."

Anubis nodded and looked out the windows to Mia. "The Soul Armor will not harm her although it will take so getting used to the power level and ability level that she has just been granted. Soon she will be able to remember what happens durring the transformation and durring the battle."

"Yeah but why are you here? I mean I thought Kayura was the successor to your title of the Ancient." Ryo had started to get mildly defensive but was willing to give the benifit of the doubt to the man they once considered enemy and friend.

"I am here because Mia needs more guidance in the usage of the armor and how to control it than you five can give her." The monk then looked over at Sage. "Sage of Halo, You will be needed to teach her the arts of meditation, she will need them to help her control the armor and how much she puts into a battle."

Sage nodded then looked troubled. "Wait a minute. We destroyed Talpa and the dynasty so why is the armor still choosing her. I know that we have all been training her but that does not explain why she is still being armored."

Anubis looked troubled and looked out side again. "I think it is time you all were to sit down and have a talk. Mia knows more about the situation than I do now because her armor has been talking to her and teaching her its history." He locked eyes with White Blaze and the tiger nodded and walked over to the now very dangerous Mia. As he looked at her and growled out the message they all saw an armored head nod and watched the armor dissappear down to a Black and silver sub armor.

s Mia walked up to the house every one noticed that her eyes were no longer troubled adn that she was actually smiling. "Hello guys. Greetings Anubis Would any one like me to make some dinner while I talk to you all??"the guys just looked at her as if she had grown another head. She seemed to come into control of the armor and herself pretty quickly now that she had some time to figure out what it could and would do. Speaking with the Spirit of the Spirit Armor helped balance her out again and she seemed to be the Mia that they all knew and cared about.

As she walked into the kitchen the Ronins and Anubis followed her to watch her cook and to listen to her story. As Mia cooked a light meal she explained part of the history of the Spirit Armor. Long ago before Talpa came to our world in the days of the Ancient there was a Ninja of great beauty and skill to the point where no one knew who she was until it was to late for them. She was very strong in the arts of the Ninja Majiks and would only use her abilities to defend the people of the country. She traveled and never gave any one her name. She went by the Ninja name of Silver Raven. There was an evil Warlord on this earth and he looked to subjugate the people of Japan. When Silver Raven heard of this she immediately left to seek out this dark power. As she traveled deeper into Warlord Naganoti's territory she saw for herself the great evils this man had subjected his people to and swore out a Life oath to kill the man responsible." Mia checked with them to make sure that they all got the story so far and was reassured.

Well when she reached the Warlord's palace she noted that she would need a special armor to help her to protect the innocent enslaved in the palace from her vengence and to help her slay the evil that resided there. She spent three days meditating in a secluded area of trees and then used her Ninja armor and her majiks to create the Soul Armor. It is called that because the Soul of Silver Raven resides in the armor still and if it were to be removed from the armor she would leave this relm for ever and the Armor would be no more."

Mia paused in her story to serve the tea and the meal she prepared and then waved her hand over the table and suddenly an image of the Armor was there as well as images that changed as she told the story. "As she went through the palace she freed the slaves that she came across and killed the minions of the Warlord with out mercy. The armor held all of her Ninja weapons and a few extra surprises. But in the end she was the one surprised as she found the head guards and the Warlord himself to be daemon masters from another relm. As she faught the Daemons she defeated them one by one, but at a great cost. As she was the creator of the soul armor it was her spirit bound to the armor and every hit she took from the Daemons sapped a little of her strength. In the end she died by jumping out of her armor and pushing the Daemon Master into a portal that the armor created. It was thought that the Daemon master Naganoti would be lost forever in that other realm. But when Talpa showed up into this realm, the surge of dark energies drew the Daemon master back and now he is here to destroy the two things that can send him back to that other dimention. The Soul Armor and its Bearer and Hariel's White Armor of Inferno."

Mia finished her story of what was going on she saw that they were about to get defensive about her and prevented the explosion. "Look, you all have to worry about each other. Yes I know you will worry about me but I believe that Anubis' guidance will help me adjust to the new armor and with all of you training with me I am sure we can send this Daemon master back where he belongs."

Suddenly White Blaze growled out the back door onto the porch. Mia closed her eyes and shut the guys out as she concentrated. As she opened her eyes they were completely black and not reflecting any light and she was in her sub armor. "It is the Daemon lord's Ninjas."

"We're on it Mia." and the guys charged for the door when they were stopped by a cold voice that they did not recognise. "No! You do not know how these Ninja fight. I do, but if you all go out there you are more likely to get yourselves killed than to be of any help to me. I will train you on how to fight the Ninja but you must let me take care of this on my own." When they finally realized it was the spirit armor talking through Mia she was gone. As they looked at White Blaze and Anubis for answers all they found was the tiger was listening and Anubis had a smile on his face in pride at how well Mia was adjusting to her new duties.

"Any time.....NOW!" The ronins started as the heard Anubis say now but they realized that when they heard the word now they could hear the sounds of a battle being fought and won.

"Hey Ryo, Sage, can you hear Mia out there any where??" Kento, Cye, and Rowen were getting antsy about the battle and started to get worried when both Sage and Ryo shook their heads in denial. All five of the Ronins were about to run out side when they saw White Blaze bar their way to the door and Anubis calling to them. "Stop. I know that you are worried about Mia, but please be assured that the battle goes well and that she will come back in with nothing more than superficial cuts and bruises. She needs to fight this one alone..." Suddenly he was interrupted by the sound of Mia/Silver Raven's voice calling out. "SOUL SHADOW CALL!!!" and then the electric sounds and the feel of their own souls being tugged at until they heard the Ancient's staff chime. "Thank you Kayura"

But Kayura was no where to be seen. Anubis held the ancient's staff and kept it chiming until he was certain that Mia's shadow call had done its work. He silenced the staff and the Ronin's watched in wonder as it dissappeared to where it came from. Anubis explained before he could be asked. "I have the ability to call upon the Ancient's staff should I have need of it and Kayura is not using it." 

A nod of understanding passed between the guys and they all heard the door open. A Daemon dressed like a ninja stood in the doorway prepared to attack but was sliced in half by a Katana before he could continue. As the now defeated Daemon fell they all saw that Mia was indeed in fine form and although she was well covered by her armor she did indeed have a few superficial scratches on her face and hands where her bracers did not cover. As she stepped into the kitchen from the dark her armor disappeared instantly with the light and she looked tired but nothing like Ryo did after his first battle in the Inferno armor.

As she stepped in the guys grabbed her, sat her down in the chair and despite her assurances that she was fine she was told to completely armor down and get ready to have her cuts and scratches tended to. As she looked at Anubis for support she found him grinning at her. "Sorry Mia, This time I will side with the Ronins. You are to have your hurts tended to and then you are to REST. That battle took more out of you than you realize and you will need to rest and train to get used to the energy differences of you being in the Armor and you being civil civilian Mia." 

Mia growled at the last comment but subsided as the after effects of the battle started to set in and she found that she was indeed tired. She was asleep before Rowen could finish his ministrations and did not even wake up when Anubis followed by White Blaze picked her up and took her upstairs and was down stairs shortly after he placed her in her bed and covered. By then the other Ronins decided to call it a night and headed for their respective beds leaving White Blaze and Anubis alone down stairs for the night. 


	6. Chapter 6

Kento and the guys were in classes when Kento's instructor was paged from the office. He looked up from the phone and looked at the room and announced to the class. "Kento, Would you please go down to the office for an emergency phone call." Kento was confused as he knew that his family would never call him at school unless something major happened. So thinking it was his family he sprinted into the office and looked at the secretary. "I am Kento Faun. There is an emergency phone call for me??" The secretary looked up at him and smiled. "Yes. It is from the college they said that your name was on a Miss Mia Koji's Emergency number card." Kento picked up the phone in double time and was greeted by a very harried office member on the other line.  
  
"What's wrong with Mia?!"  
  
"Miss Koji is fine...We think. She has been appearing an dissappearing all day today and I was wondering if you knew why or what a Tiger has been doign following her around from class to class. She won't let us capture it to take it back to the wild and despite her reassurances that the beast will not harm any one the students are afraid to go into her classes."  
  
"The Tiger is following Mia due to a special set of circumstances and orders. I too can reassure you that the Tiger will not harm any one. How ever I can come to the campus and talk to Mia if you like and see why she is dissappearing on and off." Kento thought to himself. ~Mia is probably battleing the Ninjas again. But this is going to get ugly if I can't get the guys out of class to help me.~  
  
Suddenly he saw a man walk into the office but even though he was in street clothes Kento identified him as Anubis. He put the phone down and moved over to Anubis before the office staff could question him and took him off to one side.  
  
"Anubis, Why are you here?"  
  
"Mia is in need of you and the other's help. I am here to get you all out of class so that you can assist her." Anubis had a strained look in his eyes and was a little short of breath as even some of the exertions of the living still troubled him.  
  
"Mr. Faun. Who is your guest?" Kento whirled around to come face to face with the Principal of the school.  
  
Anubis stepped around Kento and shook the Principals hand. "I am Anubis, I am here to pick up Kento and his friends from school early today on Miss Koji's instructions." Anubis pulled a note out of his pocket and showed it to the principal. "Page them and tell them to meet me out side the front door."  
  
Anubis used his presence to get the principal to comply and shortly all the ronins were out side of the school and wondering how Anubis managed to pull them out of class. "There is time for that Ronins. Mia needs your help and Kento is needed at the college. He will join you in battle shortly."  
  
"Kento is needed?? Why him??" Sage was surprised at the choice and all the Ronins showed surprise at Anubis' answer. "Because he is the one on Mia's emergency phone list. So he is the one that must go to the school and explain to the administration and calm them down about White Blaze."  
  
It was Ryo's turn to be surprised and a little upset. "White Blaze. Why does there have to be any explaination about him??" "Anubis was grim and guestured for the Ronins to suit up in their Sub armor as he lead them away from the Highschool as he explained. "I told White Blaze to follow Mia around untill she became able to fully control her armor and when it will appear. Apperently he has been seen around the campus and the administration wants it caught. I am sending Kento to get White Blaze as well as calm the admin."  
  
Kento only used his armor to speed his trip to the college. When he reached the grounds he dropped out of the trees and armored down to his civilian clothes. He walked into the main administration building and got instructions to the main office. Looking around he entered and saw that there were several nervous office members there. "I am Kento Faun. I was the one you all called about a Tiger and Mia Koji dissappearing from her classes."  
  
"Well, um, Yes...Well I believe we were well able to sum up a greater protion of the problem with you over the phone. Miss Koji keeps dissappearing from her classes and the instructors can never pin point the exact time of when she dissappeared. As for the Tiger...He is, um, he is right outside that door."   
  
Kento went over to the door indicated and let White Blaze into the office. The tiger looked around and as he saw Kento he nodded to him understanding why he was here. "Look mister Administrator. I do not know why you had to lock him up but I know that he would never harm any one. I will however take him with me as I leave since you all seem to be so nervous about him being here."   
  
Kento walked past the administrator and the office staff with the White Blaze right behind him and left the grounds. As soon as he was in the trees he armored back up into his orange sub armor and started hopping tree to tree keeping up with the tiger that was just ahead of him leading him to the battle.   
  
Suddenly he heard. "SHADOW SOUL CALL!!!" Again Kento felt the familiar tug of his soul being pulled by the attack and as he finished armoring up felt the tug no longer pull at him. ~Hmm Seems like my armor protects me from that attack. Good thing or I would be in some serious trouble.~   
  
He came into the battle his Naginata at the ready and found that Mia was the only one not really struggling against these shadow warriors. He quickly jumped down from his position in the trees and called out "IRON ROCK CRUSHER" and watched as many of the Ninjas that were caught off guard by the sudden attack vanish into smoke. He let his armor's spirit guide him in his fight against the shadow warriors as they used several tricks of illusion not unlike Dais or the sand warriors that he went up against in his previous battles with Talpa and his minions.   
  
The others felt what he was doing and did the same and found that the battle was easier to fight if they let the armors guide them and their attacks to the right targets. Some time later they watched the last of the Ninja warriors vanish and all six armored down. Mia however promptly passed out as soon as she was out of her armors and Cye was the one to catch her. "Man If these battles are goign to take so much out of her should we even let her fight at all??" Cye looked around at his friends and then was on his guard as they all heard a rustling in the trees nearby. A figure dropped out of the trees and as he came into the light all the Ronins dropped their defensive positions as they saw that it was Anubis.   
  
"Mia must continue to fight and grow in the ways of her armor. You five have not yet been trained in the proper ways of battling the Ninja. You were all lucky and wise to have followed Kento's lead in this battle or the casualty list could have included you all as either severely injured or killed." The Ronins all looked at each other and then at a blushing Kento. "It was nothing big. I just remember what I did when I had to fight Dais and his uglies and applied it here when I saw what the Ninja were doing to avoid my attacks."   
  
"Still, for now you must all go home and get some rest. Watch over Mia and keep her safe when she sleeps. White Blaze only follows her to the campus untill she learns how to fully control her armor. When she reaches that point he will stop following her and her school will not see him again. I may have to speak to them about him being on the campus however to keep them from trying to capture him." The last sentence was spoken to himself as Anubis looked around and started walking away. "You all might want to take this route back into the campus at Mia's school so that I can give the Administration notification that Mia will not be in class tonight and so you all can get to her vehicle with less chance of being seen." 


	7. Chapter 7

As the guys got home that night they realized that Mia was sound asleep and she did not even wake up when Rowen had to swerve to avoid a fox on the road. They pulled up to the mansion and Ryo carried Mia up to her room and laid her on the bed and noticed that her sub armor had dissappeared almost as soon as she was in her bed. "Sleep well Mia, and rest well Spirit of the Ninja, for tomorrow we train after school to help you in your battles." Ryo pulled light covers over Mia and stepped quietly out of the room closing the door behind him. He found the guys all waiting for him out there having watched him put her to bed they wanted to know what they were to do then.  
  
"Well guys. I think that we had best doctor our wounds and go to bed. Barring any attacks from those shadows we are going to be training, and unless I miss my guess Mia and that spirit are going to be really hard task masters in this training as we do not have a lot of time to train and get what we need to learn ingrained." Ryo walked past the guys and went down stairs to the first aid kit and took it into the kitchen to treat the myriad of scratches and nicks he took from the shuriken that the shadows threw.  
  
The rest of the guys came down the stairs and either started treating their own wounds or started helping treat the wounds that the others could not reach. It was a quiet and reflective time for all of them as they all ached from the battle. They had been some pretty nasty battles with Talpa's soldiers but none of them had ever really come away from a battle with this many strapes and cuts and bruises. They were going to be a sore lot tomorrow and they still had school and training to survive.  
  
-----  
  
As the school day had worn on the guys found that it was easier and easier to move the less they thought about their injuries and just went through the motions. Gym class really made things easy for them as they finally had a chance to streach out the stiff and really tight muscles that had cropped up overnight from sleeping.   
  
Mia had slept through her alarm and Rowen was sent into her room to wake her up as the guys figured that a heavy sleeper like Ro would know how to wake her up with out getting killed. Mia got them to school and then continued to the college for her days classes.  
  
The day passed uneventfully and all parties involved were relieved. Mia was starting to remember some of her battles in her new armor and White Blaze was finally given free roam of the college campus and it was found that he usually stayed up in the trees that would support him and would just watch Mia through the windows of the classrooms. As the classes began to get used to the tiger being there the other students began to relish the idea that they were the only college with a white tiger running lose on the campus and that the tiger had indeed been true to Mia's word and not harmed any one.  
  
Anubis would be found either walking around the town in his civilian garb or meditating in the woods or by the lake on Mia's estate. He was always keeping an eye on the dark forces and had figured that he would be able to better judge when another attack would come if he could monitor the various energy levels and was training himself to constantly monitor those levels even when he was not exactly aware of it.  
  
The guys got out of school and Mia picked them up and took them back to the estate and they all changed into their sub armor. Mia's sub armor had a unique twist to it though. Even though she had the armor that looked like the ronins sub armor she also had the Ninja coverings that went over it and that muffled the sounds that she made. she managed to will away the head covering so that the guys could see her clearly and understand her as when she had the head covering on she fell under the ninja code of silence.  
  
Looking around she set off in a random direction into the woods and the guys and Anubis followed her. Even though he no longer had his armor he figured that he would benifit from the training in the ninja ways. As they moved deeper into the woods Cye noticed that Mia was no longer in front of them. The heard a laugh surround them and knew that it was Mia. "Todays training, Find me and defeat me. It should not be hard. You have all the skills, now you have to relearn to use them."  
  
The guys looked at each other and shrugged, when they looked at Anubis they found him in a dark grey ninja outfit. They were all surprised when he looked up at them. "What, you all do not honestly think I was going to come to this practice unprepared for a duel of wits and skills?" He looked around almost aimlessly and then struck off in a different direction from the guys and smiled to himself. ~Mia/Silver Raven, you have a lot to learn yet from your mentor. Maybe I can yet use this to my advantage.~ As he looked around and stayed alert he noticed that his vision was starting to cloud a bit. He refocused and noted that there was a rather large dust cloud for the middle of a wooded area. "Come out Mia/Silver Raven. I know that you are here and I will defeat you."  
  
-----  
  
The guys decided to pair up and Ryo called that he would go on his own to try to find Mia. "Ryo, if you meet her she is going to kick your but man." Kento grinned knowing that the guys all knew that Ryo was one of the best in the group and better able to take care for himself when he did not have to worry about defending any one else. "She may or she may not. You saw how Anubis just took off and I thought I heard his voice not that long ago so I think that he thinks that he has already found her."  
  
"Thinks he found her? Ryo have you lost your marbles. Anubis has centuries of training on us. I would think that he would know how to find a ninja. Even one that is a half ghost like Mia/Silver Raven Especially since he is rather over qualified in the ghost part." Rowen nodded to Kento as the big ronin made his point. The others looked surprised that Kento thought this out as far as he had. Usually he was the one that wanted to charge into battle and leave the thinking to the others. Not always the best plan but they all knew that he was far from stupid. Especially when he was in his element.  
  
Ryo walked off in one direction after thinking for a little bit and left the others to pair off. He had heard Mia's last comment about their skills and decided to test the theory that he had about his armor. As soon as he got out of the clearing that the guys were in he sat down and drew his swords. Crossing them on the ground in front of him he smiled to himself and closed his eyes to concentrate on the blades.  
  
Kento and Rowen walked off into a different direction of the forest smiling slightly. They too also had some theories that they wanted to test out. Soon Rowen turned to make sure that Kento was behind him and almost tripped over a root as he discovered that the ronin of Hardrock was no longer behind him. ~Damn, when the hell did he learn to move so quietly.~ Rowen then returned his focus to the task ahead of him on finding the Shadow warrior.  
  
Sage and Cye were the last two in the clearing and held a severely muted conference through their armors limited telepathic gifts. When they finally decided on a plan of action they too split up to move in separate directions. As Sage moved like the light through the trees he noted that some of the other sounds were missing as well, like the wind in the trees. As he continued to move he found that it was getting harder and harder to breath yet easier for him to move. As he moved to the trees he called out in his mind. ~Alright Mia. You are here now what is your challenge.~  
  
Hiding in the shadows of the trees directly above Sage was Mia and she heard him. Smiling to herself she knew that this would be an easy task for the ronin of light to accomplish if he remembered what the Ancient taught him about his armor. She talked back to him. ~Sage of the Halo, Warrior of light. I challenge you to single combat. The catch is the air that is in the field that I have created is not being replenished and there is no sound for you to hear. You must defeat me by making me give up or out last me in the airless void.~  
  
~Basically you are challenging me to combat first one up for air loses right?~ Sage received confirmation to the simplification of the challenge and he smiled as his face mask snapped down over his face helping him to conserve what little oxegen there was in the field. As he drew his no datchi he felt two shuriken strike his wirst and pin it to the tree behind him.he looked at the direction that the stars came from trying to find their owner and used his Armor to help him to feel her out. This was easy as the Armor brightened slowly takeing away all of the shadows in the area.  
  
Mia just giggled to herself. This was a bright kid but he needed to work on his skills. ~There are more to shadows than the light and the dark. They are the shadows of your mind as well.~ Sage was confused at the cryptic message and ducked as he felt two more shuriken coming at him. He looked around and extended his senses to their farthest point. Suddenly he reached above him and grabbed the air. But there was no air to grab as he pulled one very surprised ninja down to the ground. ~I see you have learned that there are other senses Halo. Now to battle.~ and Mia pulled one of her many blades out. It was a Wakashaki Blade. Short yet if she managed to get inside of Sages defences it could do a lot of damage. She started on the defence and studied Sage with a new perception that only the spirit of the armor could have done. As their blades met the clang was not heard anywhere else in the forest thanks to Mia's field. Suddenly she dissappeared from under the No datchi and reappeared behind him with the blade at his throat.   
  
Not being one to give up so easily Sage turned his blade point first to the ground and stabbed it into the earth. Mia's comment about the mental shadows still turning over in his mind as he automatically took Mia's arm and flipped her over his shoulder. The movements were getting harder as even the reduced oxygen started to run out. ~Man I better get her beat fast or I am going to be in trouble.~   
  
***** 


	8. Chapter 8

Ryo soon picked up his swords and smiled as he felt the ninja's very low power and found that he was now drawn to it like a moth to a flame. ~hmm this should be easy but if that spirit is as good as Anubis implied then I am going to have trouble with her even if she is not as strong as the rest of us.~  
  
Suddenly he found himself out by the lake near Mia's mansion. Looking around he did not see any one but he knew from his prior training and learning about the marital arts that the Ninja were far better at the hide and defeat game than the samuri were. The training that they went through was what made them such efficiant killers.  
  
~I wonder what she had in mind for training when she brought me here. I mean this is Cye's turf not mine.~  
As he looked out on to the water he heard Yulie hollering from out in the middle of the lake in a boat.   
  
"Ryo Help!" Yulie looked scared and rather nervous about his perdicament out in the middle of the lake. When Ryo hit the shores of the lake he noticed that Yulie had been put out there without the aide of oars or motor. His senses alerted he looked around carefully to see if there was anything else that was out of place there other than Yulie in a boat in the middle of the lake with no oars or motor.  
  
Ryo looked around for another way to get out to the boat in the middle of the lake knowing that he could probably swim pretty well with his armor on, he would also stand the chance of getting attacked in the water and that would reduce his abilities considerably. Still Yulie needed to be brought to shore and he needed to get to Mia and finish his training. Changing into his sub armor for better movement he stepped into the water.  
  
About half way out to the boat the Boat dissappeared and Yulie with it. Ryo was not overly surprised as he had origionally thought that this might be a part of his training with Mia. ~Ryo of the Wildfire. Even under the oceans flames can still sprout. Yours is to question how.~   
  
As the voice left his mind he found that he was sitting at the bottom of the lake in his full armor with his Twin Datchi's in his hands. ~I should be at the least having trouble breathing down here but I am not having any trouble at all. My Armor must be protecting me. Now what.~  
  
Suddenly he noticed a now familiar looking hooded head staring at him. Smiling to himself he noticed that she was not wearing her full armor. He was soon not smiling as he found out that she was almost a better fighter than he was under the water. It was not good especially since the light that filtered down to the bottom of the lake provided many shadows for the ninja to hide in.  
  
~ok, so what are you up to now Mia. I know that you are up to something but I would love to know what shadow you crawled out of.~ Grinning to himself he flet her beind him and let her think that he did not notice her. After going up for more Air he sank himself back to the bottom of the lake. He tried to ignite his flame and discovered that under the water his armor allowed him to flame and warm and light the area around him. The shadows in his immediate area shrunk away and he found that this helped him to have time to react to what ever attack would come at him. soon after the fight had started up again he found that he could feel the currents of lava underneith the lake floor.. ~So that is where my armor is getting it's power. the Lava underneith the lake is the fire under the water.~ Grinning to himself he threw himself into the battle with a renewed sense of purpose.  
  
-----   
  
Mia was having fun with all of the battles she was in. The guys still have not tapped the one singular ability that made them exceptional fighters and this made her grin. The one thing that made them all exceptional fighters usually came out when they were in the most trouble.  
  
As she watched each of the battles she knew that sooner or later one of them was going to figure out that most of the trouble that was known as Ninja was in the mind. Ninja were people just that they were trained in extrodinary ways. It was this psychological advantage that made people wary of the shadows and the Ronin's look to them as her and the Ninja's source of power.  
  
-----  
  
Rowen was sitting up in a Tree watching and feeling the winds before he hopped to the next branch. He knew that Ninja and Shadow Walkers had weaknesses it was just a matter of time to find them. As they both used darkness to shelter their wearabouts he also knew that some of the Ninja practiced some of the higher arts of illusion. A Grandmaster of a Clan was said to be almost equal to Dais and his abilities to manipulate what his enemy saw. It was these abilities that he watched for and hoped that he would be facing Mia on his own ground.   
  
Five minutes later a suriken glanced off his helmet and imbedded itself in the tree behind him. Looking around he closed his eyes and remembered some of what he read about ninja and the clans. However he was not able to find much on the Silver Raven clan as her's had been the most secretive over the years almost to the point where it was not close to non existant except for in the ancient legends. As he searched with all of his senses he heard a soft muffled noise behind him and as he turned he saw Mia/Silver Raven hanging by her knees on a brance just above and behind him. Her eyes twinkled in challange and as he grabbed for her she vanished leaving him with a handful of old cloth and sticks.  
  
"Very clever Mia. I was fooled once, Can you fool me again after the fact??" Mia, havign hidden amongst the trees no far away heard the challenge and decided to agree to face the Ronin of Strata on his own challenge.  
  
~Strata, The winds are not easily fooled but can it be the the very air is but an illusion??~ Mia answered in his mind she knew she had his attention and had planted the very seed that would ultimately test him by the end of the day. Silver Raven sent Mia a warning to not push the Ronin's to far and Mia answered the Spirit of the armor with the fact that she had known what the Ronin's had gone through thus far and now it was time for them to grow in another direction. They needed to learn about themselves and the shadows of their own minds so that the Ninja that would attack their realm would not overwelm them in the future.  
  
Mia hopped about the trees setting up her gambit and then dropped for the ground and setup there for a gambit that would hopefully push his own limits and his trust in his armor to the very limits. Rowen was not an easy person to beat on the mental games but if one planned carefully it is possible.

* * *

I do not own any rights to The Ronin Warriors or their characters. However. The Silver Raven Spirit Armor IS my idea and I will send the Masho and Youja after you if you steal it. This page is copyrighted: [Dragon Dagger][1] 6/15/2000.

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	9. Chapter 9

Cye armored down to his street clothes as he walked through the wooded area to the spot that he and Kento sometimed went to spar or just to talk. As he continued to walk he kept his senses wide open to what was happening around him and kept a constant tab on what was there and what was not. As he reached the rocky field that Kento liked to use for training he knew for certain that somethign was not right.   
  
Looking around he saw that some of the rock configurations were wrong, and that there was a miniature Stonehenge set up in the middle of the field. Looking around slowly he stayed silent but continued to think. ~Well she is or at the very least was around here. If she is here then she would be watching me knowing that I am not armored and still watching.~ Suddenly he saw a flicker out of the corner of his eye and side stepped. His quick movement to the side prevented Mia from striking him. he armored up to his sub armor and waited for Mia's next move patiently. He forced his muscles to stay relaxed yet ready for instant movement should Mia come from a new direction.   
  
Normally these tactics would be Sages trade mark in the martial arts but Cye had been training with all of the guys learning some of their techniques and melding them with his own to make his own techniques for land fighting stronger. Next to Sage Cye could be the most patient of the Ronins and knew that he could wait all day for the next attack and yet be ready should the attack come right away.   
  
He moved around the circle of stones that had been set up and cleared his mind and listened to and felt the currents of nature all around him. He knew that he was strong and that his armor would protect him but he also wanted to prove that he could fight with out using the full strength of his armor. As Mia watched this and gauged his mind set she knew that of all the Ronins Cye was the most prepared to do honorable battle with her and that he was the best prepared to fight the ninjas, Kento was not far behind him with his own training, his temper being his biggest shortcoming.  
  
Mia/Silver Raven came out os the trees not far from Cye and watched him turn about and sink into a half guard stance. The strait forward tactic was not what he expected and he was willing to hear her out first should she be inclined to talk. Mia showed her respect for Cye's manners and ways then banished her hood. An unusual dual tone came out of Mia as she started to speak and as his own armor resonated with the tone realized that it was Silver Raven speaking through Mia. "Cye Mouri, Bearer of the Torrent Armor. You of all the Ronin Warriors are best prepared of mind and body for the tasks that lie ahead. You and Kento have shown that you truely understand the ways of the Ninja and so you both shall help train the others. Patience, Kindness, Heart, Faith and Justice. You and Kento posess these virtues and by them shall overcome the trials to come. I shall tell you the secret that Ryo, Rowen, Sage, and Kento are learning the hard way. Ninjitsu is not just of the body, but of the mind and spirit as well. To be wholly Ninja you have to be wholly yourself and no other in Mind, Body and Spirit. Your trial will come later, but for now you are to return to the house and wait for the others to return.  
  
Mia bowed traditionally and then dissappeared into the shadows leaving Cye to puzzle over this unusual behavior out of Mia and the Silver Raven Armor as he walked back to the house in his jeans and shirt unscathed. He was above all else, certain that the others would not escape their training with as much luck.  
  
-----  
  
Kento had finished a Kata in a clearing with a bo staff in his sub armor when Mia made her appearance to him. Her cowling in its place she challenged him to a game. ~I know where your strength lies Hardrock. But you have other strengths that even you do not appreciate but often use. I challenge you to a simple game. The game is Chess.~   
  
"What is this?? Chess for training?? you have got to be kidding me." Kento was puzzled by the game but it soon became clear to him that he was testing just how far ahead of her he could think. The game was well underway and Kento had lost several pieces by the time they slowed down into a thinking man's game.  
  
-----  
  
Anubis had sat himself in the clearing that he first announced to Mia that he knew where she was and was in a meditative pose When she appeared to him. She waited for him to finish his chant and stepped into his immediate view as he smiled. "It is good to see you again Mia, Even if it is under the circumstances of training and under the circumstances of you not being the real Mia."  
  
The Ninja bowed in respect for Anubis' intuitive discovery and removed her cowling to reveal a ageless face with Black hair that had twin silver streaks running from the forhead and down the length of her hair. Her piercing dark eyes gently danced as she introduced herself to him.   
  
"I congratulate you Anubis for understanding what the others did not see. I am the spirit of the Silver Raven Armor. I have sent Mia to Cye to inform him that he is the best prepared of the five to battle and that he and Kento of the Hardrock are to be the ones that help the others train in the Ninja ways. Otherwise the others think that they hear Mia's voice in their minds as they see the Ninja's Body before them. The Ronins will need your help and guidance as the ancient through this trial of the realms."  
  
Anubis was mildly astonished. Technically he was still dead and that he would have to relinquish this body after helping Mia and the Ronins in this trial. He never once dreamed that he would once again be asked to don the mantle of the Ancient.  
  
"What about Kayura. She is the successor to the title of the Ancient after I died in the battle to free her from Badamon's hold. She and the other Warloards should be able to help them. All I knew was that I would be back to help the one that ended up donning your armor. Nothing was even hinted at that I might become the ancient again."  
  
Silver Raven stepped closer the Anubis drawing him up to his full height. "Anubis, Friend of the Ronin Warriors and one who cares deeply for the one that bears my armor. You were chosen for this task for all that you were and all that you have yet to be. Kayura has a firm and yet mildly troubled hold on the Realm of the Dynasty and needs to be there and needs the Warlords Cale, Sekmet, and Dais there to help her continue to rule fairly and with justice.   
  
It is your willing sacrafice to save Kayura and the Ronins that made my choice as to who would guide the Lady Mia in her useage of the Armor and White Blaze already knew of the Armor as it was a part of his nature to know. You know what you need to know when you need it. your knowledge of the Armor and its various abilities will come to you at the times when you need it most. I will not forsake the one I have chosen, just as you would never forsake your duties once you know what they are. Your Virtue of Loyalty makes you the one for this as I know that no matter the troubles ahead you will be loyal to your task and to your self before anyone else."   
  
Anubis' eyes grew serious and patient as he heard the arguments that made him what he was and as he closed his eyes he felt the Power of the lineage of the Ancients course through him again and felt the familier wrappings and the Staff return to him. He smiled to himself as he remembered all that happened to him the last time he wore these wrappings and then nodded to the Ninja that stood before him.   
  
"I will not fail you or the task that has been set before me Lady Silver Raven. Lady Mia will grow and learn the ways of your armor and the Ronin Warriors will learn to battle on all levels."  
  
With this reassurance the Anubis had truely accepted the monumental task ahead of him, The spirit of Silver Raven dissappeared and Anubis headed back to the House knowing that Cye would be there in need of someone to discuss some of the things that were now tumbling through his mind.

* * *

I do not own the rights to Ronin Warriors. This is a Fan fic and Iam quite enjoying writing it. I do not own the Ronin Warriors Characters...HOWEVER...I do own the Silver Raven Character and the Armor idea. Steal at the peril of having the Masho and Youja sent after you. ;) This page is Copyrighted: [Dragon Dagger][1] 6/16/2000

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	10. Chapter 10

Sage was now moving as slowly and as little as possible to conserve the air that he had left when he picked up a stray thought from Rowen. ~The winds are not easily fooled but can it be the the very air is but an illusion??~  
  
The voice that was behind the thought was feminine and it made Sage think about the situation that he was in. There was an energy barrier of some sort up. That much Sage could sense for certain. However he started remembering that Ninja tended to use illusions or mind tricks to defeat their opponents and it made him wonder just how much of this whole situation he was in was an illusion. You could not stop the Plants and Trees from making oxygen unless they were dead. Yet as he breathed shallowly he found that the trees were still very green and looked very healthy. Granted there was not a breeze to stir them but that was easily rectified.   
  
The problem still remained that the challenge had something to do with the shadows in his mind. Combating them and bringing his mind into the light. Maybe this was what Mia/Silver Raven meant. See through what is there and not there and do not let suggestion cloud the thought. As he focused his Face Plate snapped away from his face and he took a deep breath and was only mildly surprised that there was plenty of air to breath. As he looked up he saw the shadow of the ninja and he wondered abotu a ninja's power comming from the shadow. From what he observed and felt through hs armor the Armor was not unlinke their own only part of the armor's base was an actual spirit. It was more like the shadows helped the ninja's fight because they were trained to use Light to play tricks, and part of the light was the darkness or the shadows. As he started remembering all of the information that he had learned over the years of battling Talpa and his goons and especially Cale, the More he found himself freely moving about.   
  
As he looked up he saluted the ninja and smiled. ~I salute you Silver Raven. Only one of the shadows could teach so much abou the light.~ The ninja nodded and dissappeared, fading out of existance making Sage wonder if she had been there at all.  
  
-----  
  
As he wandered back to the house he contacted a very troubled Rowen through his armor and gave him a little reminder of some of th ninja way based off of the teachings of the Martial arts. ~Forget the books Ro. You need to use your heart more than your brains at times. Let it see for you.~ The suggestion was met with a greatful smile, even though Rowen did not really know how to not think in a battle. He was used to tactics and stratagies. Maybe that was why it was so hard for him to see what move Mia would do next. She often changed her ways and tactics in sparrign and it very effectively kept him on his guard adn slightly off balance. The ninja seemed to be the same way inthat respect. As he started letting go of the total control that he usually had in a battle he found that his armor again did not fail him. As he let go the Armor started taking the control in a shared fashion.  
  
This was mildly unnerving to the warrior of Strata at first but as he warmed into the new ways and techniques that were developing he found himself not checking all of the dummy setups and only checking the ones that would and could possibly be Mia. The Armor knew more than he did in certain areas and having been a part of Talpa's evil armor at one point Rowen was starting to learn the the Armor retained some of the knowledge of the battle tactics and ways of the soul just like an armor spirit. Starting to understand this he at one point left complete control to the armor and found that the armor teleported him to another place inthe woods entirely. As he looked around he found a Ninja standing in a clearing and finally understood what sage meant by letting his heart do the seeing.   
  
The armor had responded to his heart and understood that it was Mia/Silver Raven that needed to be found. Taking him to her he also realized that Space or Air, can be an illusion if one knew how to fold it right. Rowen remembered that if he had fallen from a height in battle his armor protected him by placing a protective bubble around him adn letting him float to the ground. Usually if he had fallen he had been knocked out or control had been taken away from him. It was at those points that the armor saved him time and time again. So there was definately something to this letting go at times.  
  
As he walked back to the mansion he silently thanked Mia for the lesson and knew that inthe future he hoped to be able to teach her something in return about herself.  
  
-----  
  
As Sage walked into the Mansion he noted the Cye had already been there as well as Anubis and that the Medi-Kit had been set out for the guys that returned with injuries. Rowen and Sage were both greatful for the thoughtfulness and dove right in to take on an patch up some of the minor cuts and bruises that they had both recieved. Sage had a bit of a headstart but there were some sore spots that neither could reach on themselves taht the other had to take care of. Once this was done, they moved out to the living room to see if anyone else had come back yet. Cye and Anubis were seated there and talking about certain circumstances and both looked up to see Sage and Rowen walk through the door.   
  
"So now we are waiting on Ryo and Kento eh??" Cye spoke with a knowing grin as he waved the two that just came in over to the tray of goodies that he prepared for everyone. "I kinda thought that Kento would be first done as he usually heads strait for the Kitchen after practice. I wonder what is keeping him and Ryo out so long??"  
  
"I would not worry about Ryo in practice or battle Cye," Anubis interjected. "However I am curious about how Kento is fairing in his trial." As he looked over the Sage and Rowen he nodded. "I assume you both found out the same thing I did when you finished your battles??" As the two nodded Kento walked into the room with out a scratch on him and Ryo was not to far behind him patched up and soaking wet from head to toe.  
  
-----  
  
Ryo had thought about the Armors' ways and remembered that his and the other armors were linked telepathically and wondered if that would extend to the new armor that Mia now used. She was definately a good fighter under water and Ryo could not help but wonder how well she would fair against Cye in an underwater battle.  
  
The lapse in concentration gave the Ninja Mia a chance to attack and send the warrior of fire head over heels in the water eventually endign up face up in the sand at the bottom of the lake. He saw Mia stand over him and chose that moment to try and reach out with the limited telepathic facilities that his armor gave him. As he touched the mind behind the cowl he noted that it was not Mia, But it was familiar. ~Silver Raven. Very nice, you managed to fool me and teach me another lesson about my armor. I conceed the match BUT, you and Mia will not be so lucky the next time.~  
  
The ninja looked at him as he spoke to her and nodded her head. As she dissappeared into nothingness Ryo swam to the surface and brought Yulie to the edge og the lake and tied up the boat. Armoring down to his civilian clothes he noted that they were soaking wet as well. ~Ah well, they will dry out eventually.~ "Hey Yulie. Race you to the house."  
  
"Your on Ryo."  
  
The two raced to the house to find that Kento had even beaten them there, but not by much. As he came up he took one look at Ryo and burst out laughing. "So the wildfire got doused??"  
  
Ryo glared at his friend but could not help but start smiling as Yulie started giggling as well. It was not everyday that he had to fight underwater and he probably did look pretty silly standing outside in soaking wet clothes. "Comon ya big lug. Just for the crack you get to help patch me up." and the three of them started inside.  
  
-----  
  
Kento was almost sweating out this chess game untill he noticed that the Ninja across from him was not all there. It was as if she were only half there and her edges were blurred. He could see this with out his armor and wondered about the rest of her. Looking down at the Chess board he noted that this was not Mia's usual configuration for play. Usually Mia played to win but also tried to draw the game out as long as possible when she played with Rowen and the others. This was more of a Hunt to kill set up and not like Mia at all. "Who are you that you think that you will nto eventually be found out in the end Silver Raven??"  
  
Kento was Surprise when he saw that the board was wide open for him and that his next move set her into Check mate. "That was not your best game. Now I will know if I am right or not." Kento stood and the board vanished The ninja mearly nodded in aquisance. ~You have found me out and have proven to yourself that you are also a thinker and observant. You defeated me in Chess and saw though my masquerade. My salute to you as a Warrior and friend.~ She then dissappeared adn left Kento to walk back to the mansion.   
  
As he walked back he found that he had a lot to think about and knew that he had to talk to Cye about most of it.

* * *

I do not own the rights to Ronin Warriors. This is a Fan fic and Iam quite enjoying writing it. I do not own the Ronin Warriors Characters...HOWEVER...I do own the Silver Raven Character and the Armor idea. Steal at the peril of having the Masho and Youja sent after you. ;) This page is Copyrighted: [Dragon Dagger][1] 6/16/2000

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	11. Chapter 11

As Ryo and Yulie raced up towards the house Ryo could sense that the others either had returned from their tests or were on their way back to the house from the tests that Mia/Silver Raven had set before them. Always staying just a full step from an now rapidly growing Yulie, Ryo used the time it took to get from the lake to the mansion to reflect a bit on what he had learned and everything that had happened in the past and into the future.

Talpa had been discovered and beaten twice. The second time he was beaten he was destroyed by the power of the White armor of inferno. Hopefully he was gone for good this time around. Anubis had gone from sworn enemy to friend to heir to the Ancient's legacy. In the final battles he used his abilities to Free Kayura and pass on to her the legacy of the Ancient and the Warlord of Cruelty armor. Now she ruled the Dynasty in a firm yet from what he had heard fair way. That danger was now past.

Now there was a new Danger and the Ronin's were needed again. This time to help one of their own learn about her new powers and to battle an enemy that was far more dangerous than Talpa ever was as this enemy seemed to be of the shadows instead of just using them. Now only Mia and Anubis knew of the enemy and Mia was the one who could battle them and do it with any sort of proficiency.

There was the Silver Raven Armor and how it had appeared on Mia. Their training her and White Blaze's reaction to it. It was as if the Spirit and he shared a secret for Mia seemed to be closer to the tiger now more than ever. Anubis was here to guide them all but he was also there expressly to help Mia safely learn about her powers and what they could do to the enemy and to the Ronin's

~I wonder why this is happening now? and if the danger would have come if Mia had not started training with us.~

As they came up to the mansion Ryo could see Kento coming out of the woods. Kento waved to Yulie and took one look at Ryo as they walked up to each other and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny big guy?"

"Looks like the fire got doused in your test."

"Yeah well I succeeded so it can't be all bad. By the way, Just for that crack you get to help patch me up since you seem to be hale whole and overbearingly hearty."

All three of them laughed and walked into the mansion to see an empty kitchen. As they got Ryo patched up they walked out to the living room and saw that the others had convened and that Cye was looking almost too somber as he conversed quietly with Anubis.

Looking around they noticed that Anubis Cye and Kento were the only ones that had gotten away from their respective tests and training exercises with out a scratch. Rowen, Sage and Ryo all had to make rather liberal usage of Mia's ever present medical kit. Sage was obviously feeling better as his healing abilities took over and finished patching him up, But Rowen and Ryo both looked like they were going to be hurting for a while until they could take the time to loosen up what would be some very stiff muscles the next day.

As they all sat down in the living room Mia stepped into the room in her civilian clothes and smiled slightly at everyone in the room. "You have all done well for the first day of training. Tomorrow it will be light sparring to help loosen up those muscles that have gotten tight over night. As for how you did in individual training you all did excellent. As for the group training you did poorly." She had to wait until the group had settled down again in order to explain herself.

"This excersize today only reinforced the fact that you all need each other and you must rely on each others strengths to balance out your own weaknesses. Sage, Rowen. You both started to help each other in the end. Now all you have to do is fight like that from the beginning and your battles with the Ninja will go much better and you all may survive."

Mia finished instructing them on what they could do to better fight the ninja and then looked around and saw the evening light start to pour in through the windows. "How about we all order out for dinner tonight?" Mia laughed as Kento shot up from his seat and ran for the phone book. the others chuckled as well and Anubis only smiled. This kind of break was exactly what the ronins needed to help the training set in. and come to think of it. He was feeling hungry as well. As Mia looked around for a place to sit down at in the living room Anubis moved over in his seat to make room for her. Smiling at him gratefully she managed to snag the phone book from Kento as he walked past her.

"Hey! How'd you manage that?" His surprise was obvious when he noticed that he no longer had the book and that Mia was already flipping through the pages looking for the well worn restaurant section of the phone book. She looked up at him and smiled as a shadow flickered over her eyes and then disappeared. "A little something I picked up from Silver Raven." she mentioned casually and then proceeded to list off the places that she was willing to order from to the guys.

=about 30 minutes later=

The door bell rang and the delivery boy started shaking. He had delivered to the Koji mansion before and knew what the growing thunder meant on the other side of the door. He braced himself as the door opened but was pleasantly surprised when no one came charging out to relieve him of his burdens. Instead a Man with red hair looked out at him then smiled. "Here is the money for the delivery. Do not worry about the change." With that he calmly picked up the bags of food and went back inside leaving a very surprised and astonished young man out side of the door.

Anubis smiled to himself and he picked through the packages to pull his special request out before Kento and the others could get to the food. Once that was done he walked out to the kitchen. The only thing that kept the Ronin's at the table was a stern look from Mia as she watched over all and then smi8led at Anubis as he passed out the individual orders giving Kento his bag last. When he finished he walked over to Mia and stood beside her at the kitchen counter. "Feeding time at the Zoo eh?" His sense of humor had not left him as he remembered that he had not really seen all of them together like this in a peaceful setting. The last time he saw the Ronins while he was alive was during his battle with Lady Kayura. 

His distraction must have showed as Mia quietly put her arm around his waist in comfort and leaned against him as she watched the others. Anubis was surprised and startled at her initiative but was also secretly pleased that she was willing to be so close to him even during this time of strife for all of them. ~She will need you. Be there.~ The soft voice whispered in his head and as he looked down at Mia he realized that Silver Raven had spoken to him with out her knowing. He nodded mentally in assent readily as he had always been ready to be there for her for the longest time. now he hoped that she would turn to him she she needed the help that Lady Silver Raven was telling his she would need.

She had the abiding love of the ronins who were more like brothers to her than guardians and she knew that Yulie would visit often even though his parents had returned from Talpa's Dark realm. She had her friends at school to talk to about the trivial things in life so that she would stay balanced and have help in her classes. But she did not have the Agape love that seemed to be missing in her life and he hoped that she would turn to him for that when the time was right.

The Ronins all finished the dinner and offered to clean up for Mia and she readily assented. She had much research to pursue and all the time that she could gather between battles would be in valuable in the fight against the Ninja. She still did not know who was controlling them but she had this strange feeling that she was going to be able to find out soon enough.

Squeezing Anubis' hand she made her way back to the library and to her computer and shut herself into the room. White blaze was her only company and everyone was willing to leave it at that for now as they all knew that she would be the only one to be able to decipher anything she had found on the web and if there was anything that was left on her Grandfather's disks she would be the only one to be able to crack the cryptography that held the secrets.

As the night fell softly over the world Anubis looked at the guys and motioned for their attention. "I think you all need to get some sleep tonight. You all have school tomorrow and you need to stay awake for that if nothing else."

"What about Mia??" Sage asked. 

"I will make sure that she gets some sleep tonight. Never fear that. Now go, and leave Mia to White Blaze and I." The guys all slowly agreed to Anubis' arguments and managed to pull Rowen out of his text to go upstairs For bet. Not more than an hour later the house was dark and all were soundly asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

Kento was walking through the corridors of the school with an oversized armload of books when he accidently tripped in a doorway. As he fell he dropped the books but rolled over his shoulder to prevent any injury to himself. As he was getting up he noticeded that a girl was watching him smiling. She was beautiful with long dark brown hair and dark green eyes and a short petite figure. Smiling and blushing at his clumsyness he quickly picked up his books and tried to pass her, But he was stopped dead in his tracks as she brushed against his arm. He was suddenly cold and felt that something was not right about this girl. Turning around he noted that she was gone. Curious about who she might be she decided to ask Sage since he seemed to have gotten the attention of at least most of the girls at the school already. With his memory of faces he should be able to tell if she was a student here or not.  
  
He continued on to his third period class and broke into his trademark grin when he saw that the guys had their sparring uniforms on. "Looks like it is demonstration day in class right??"   
  
"You got it Kento, here's your gear." Sage tossed a duffle bag at Kento, reminding him that he needed to talk to Sage and the others about what happened in the hall way. As he got changed his mind kept going over the meeting and the feeling that washed over him as he brushed arms with the girl. This was definately no ordinary girl. He over heard the guys talking about the demonstrations and found that they were debating wether or not they should use the moves that they have been holding back on from their battles with Talpa, Sarenbou,and Sun Devil when he piped in.   
  
"Hey, Why not use the advanced techniques if we get paired up with each other. We can hold off on the moves if we are paired with some one else but why not be able to cut loose with each other when we can??" The guys looked at Kento in amazement as they had not heard a compromising idea like that out of him in a long time. Usually he was all or nothing in his thoughts. This Idea was actually really good and so it was agreed upon. As Kento passed Sage he slipped Sage the note he had written saying that he needed to talk to him as soon as possible about a possible problem there in the school. Sage read the note and nodded as they walked out to the class.  
  
Not all of the five were black belts inthe martial arts but one could consider them all of that rank or better with all the training they had done with each other bringing them up to level with each other. However since they could not be formally tested for the belt ranks they just had stopped going to the dojos and kept practicing with each other advancing as a group. They lined up in front of the class and started the warmups and then assigned the various students to roll out the mats for demonstrations.  
  
Sage and Jo Lin took on one mat for a demonstration center for basic Weapons while Ryo and Cye took another mat for Katas leaving Kento and Rowen on the third mat for Techniques and Street confrontations. Looking at each other they balanced out their voices so that when the class was split up into the four groups, one on each mat and one practicing what they had learned or doing exercises.   
  
By the end of the class most of the attention was at Kento and Rowen's mat simply because of the advanced moves that they were doing and the basic moves that they were teaching. Some of the slower students had some problems getting a hand or foot position right and that was when Rowen learned that Kento was an extremely patient instructor. When it came for a demonstration time Kento and Rowen knew that they could go full out with out doing alot of damage because they both knew how to fall properly and with the throws Rowen was the best person to be thrown as his balance in the air was the best.  
  
About ten minutes before the end of class Sage had Jo Lin get he students to move the mats together as they promised a five on five sparring match to show the class what could be done in a multi-competitor match. The mats were settled and the guys stood in a circle after explaining to the class what they were going t do and bowed to each other. They each took a different sparring stance and then started in on each other. It was light sparring for them but they managed to add in a few of the arial manuvers and fun to watch kicks to make things interesting for the class.  
  
Five minutes later they dismissed class to get changed back into their street clothes and the guys all grinned at each other as they all performed really well today despite a couple of them being sore from the weekend work out. As they did not all have lunch together they decided that they would discuss Kento's problem after school when Mia came to pick them up.  
  
School continued intot he afternoon and as the guys all got out of class then hurried out to find Mia waiting there in the Jeep. As the guys all climbed into the jeep they were all aware the Mia looked a little tired and wondered if she had been having more battles with the Ninja that they were not aware of. The ride was relatively quiet back to the mansion and they all got out and headed strait to the back of the mansion for practice. As good as gym was noting beat getting into the subarmor and having unregulated fun.  
  
As they started practicing what they had learned from Mia and from anubis Mia decided that she would skip practice today. She was feeling tired and these unannounced battles with the Ninja that she was fighting with out the knowledge of the other Ronins were taking it out of her. As she stood by the door and watched the guys practice at the stealth techniques that she had taught them all she jumped as a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and swung her around and sat her into a chair. Massaging some of the stiffness away she recognised the only person that she did not see out there and the only one that could sneak up on her like that. She eased herself into the rythm of his seeking, kneading, fingers and relaxed for the first time in days secure that nothing for the moment was going to attack. "Thank you Anubis, I really needed that."  
  
Anubis smiled as he realized that she was finally starting to get over the last vestiges of the shock she had when she realized that it was him there, and that he had an idea about what had been causing her odd armor bits to show up. It was a good thing for the ronins as well as they neded some one stable around here to lean on as she took her time getting used to the armor and its myriad of abilities. She also knew that he would occationally send White Blaze to the school with her. Fortunately for her the school had gotten used to the sight of the White Tiger on the campus and now either petted him or at least steered clear of him when he looked like he was looking for Mia. Mia knew that Anubis worried about her and if she was wearing herself out by taking all these battles on by herself, but the last time they discussed the matter he ended up giving in to some rather basic arguments about her being the best person for the job and that the Ronins still had a long way to go before they would have the requiset knowledge to deal with these shadows. It was later learned in another battle that the ronins had joined that Sage had a distinct disability when it came to battleing the Shadow Warriors.  
  
-----  
  
As the battle had progressed all the warriors were being badly beaten even with all of the new training that they had aquired they found that Mia had been right in one facet. They had been tested in the previous battles and now they were having their asses handed to them for it. Sage had tried to use his sure kill the "Thunder Bolt Cut" and as the light attack came down teh group of the ninjas that would have been killed with the attack seemed to congeal and become one black hole that absorbed the attack. The ninja's did not fight better after but it was like they were able to evenly spread teh injury through all of them and turn the light into the shadows. Mia was fairing better than the guys, but not by much when the Staff came flying down and was standign out of the earth started jangling in its harmonious way. The ninja's shrank from the staff in terror and dissappeared into the shadows where they had been waiting ot ambush the previously unguarded team as they all had walked through the park for a picnick lunch.  
  
-----  
  
"Tell me, Why is it that you have to follow me everywhere in one form or another?" Mia was referring that sometimes she would be able to feel his searching mind look for hers as he meditated and when she was found he was rest his search and be the fly on the wall in her mind. She could feel Anubis' stomach muscles working quickly in a silent chuckle. "Only you would feel me mind hopping. How else would I find you in your many battles if I did not follow you all about??" Anubis' point was valid and she knew it but she was also letting him know that she appreciated the worry even if she did not always see the need for it. He responded knowing that she would pick up that he understood.  
  
If the guys all noticed one thing about Mia it was that she was quieter around them and endured some of their usual spats better. However they all knew that ninjas had a distinct tendancy to be people of the night and so they tried to give her some peace durring the day for what ever she needed to do.  


* * *

I do not own the rights to Ronin Warriors. This is a Fan fic and Iam quite enjoying writing it. I do not own the Ronin Warriors Characters...HOWEVER...I do own the Silver Raven Character and the Armor idea. Steal at the peril of having the Masho and Youja sent after you. ;) This page is Copyrighted: [Dragon Dagger][1] 6/23/2000

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	13. Chapter 13

The guys all met outside of the school the next day and looked around for Kento expecting to need to talk according to what Sage had told them all. The next thing they all knew was they were all on the ground and Kento was running at top speed away from them with a girl in black hot on his trail. "HELP! SHE WANTS TO KISS ME!!!" They all heard barely as he started jumping into the trees, The girl did not hesitate but jumped into the trees and followed him closely. The guys chuckled a little but agreed that he needed help in order for them all to talk about what Kento had mentioned to Sage. Getting up and running after Kento they quickly caught up with the girl and trapped her in one of the trees.

"Ok miss, what is it that you really want with our buddy Kento??" Rowen was slightly suspicious of this girl that had followed Kento this far through the trees and the park. Most girls would have given up on any one once they started hopping from tree to tree. The others nodded in agreement as Kento backtracked to the group and hid behind Ryo and Sage and listened to her.

"Want? I want nothing more than to pin him to the ground and give him a kiss." She smiled but it was not a nice smile. This fact was not lost on the others as she made a move for Kento and was firmly restrained by Sage and Ryo. "Who are you and why is it me that you are after?? I mean my other friends are better looking and all that." She gave them disgusted looks and then turned her eyes to Kento. I want you because..." and here she flipped out of the restraining arms and up into the trees. "You are to be eliminated Kento of Hard Rock. Be on your guard. There is little time left for you on this earth, you will soon meet with your fate Hard Rock. Your friends will follow you soon." The girl's voice faded out and left five confused guys standing or sitting in the tree wondering what that was all about.

"Uh guys? We had better get back to the school tp meet up with Mia, she better than us may know what that was all about and more importantly, why." Cye looked at the others for confirmation when he startled by a tap on his shoulder. "No need to meet me there. I saw most of it and as I see it, Kento you are in for a wild ride." Mia dropped out of the upper branches of the tree to the set of branches the guys were now sitting on and crouched down into the shadows.

"Mia who was that and why the heck is she after Kento??" 

"Not here my friends. We have to get back to the place where not even the ninja would follow us."

The guys looked at her but the realization slowly dawned on them that they would not be able to be over heard back at the mansion. Looking at each other they all donned their sub-armor and started running and jumping through the trees back in the direction of the mansion since they had been informed that Mia had not come in her jeep. As they ran through the forest they heald a fast mental confrance and learned from Kento that the girl that had been chasing him was the same girl that he was needing to talk to them about.

~Well Kento it looks like that you were on the nose about that girl being possible trouble.~

~Sage, I swear you make one more comment about that girl and so help me...~

~So help you what, We are discussing a real problem here for you.~

~Point conceeded, but you have to admit that was was a little strange for a situation....Even for me.~

~Lets get back to the mansion and finish talking this out. I think that we are all a little owly right now from having our afternoon interrupted by what seems to be evil incarnate, and its minions.~

Everyone agreed silently with Rowen's suggestion and kento finished out the conversation with an "I'm Hungry" That sent them all in to groans of appreciation. As they reached the mansion minutes later Mia walked in the door only to be greeted by a very preturbed White Blaze and Anubis.

"Ronins, Mia/Silver Raven. We have a problem to deal with."

Mia and the others all looked at each other with some trepidation and all wondered what the situation was that was going to interrupt the afternoon discussion of the latest ninja incursion.

Mia walked over to the teapot and started heating the water for the afternoon tea and started making sandwitches for kento and the guys. The guys looked around and decided to all head out to the livingroom leaving Mia, Anubis and White Blaze in the kitchen to discus some of the precursers to the afternoon discussion that was about to take place.

As the guys left Mia could feel Anubis step up behind her and as she turned around to meet him was surprised at just how close he had gotten to her. "Anubis, What happened here today?"

"That will wait for the discussion with the others. however I do know that from here on out your life is in severe danger. More than it ever was with the dynasty and more than it was when you started fighting the Ninja as a partially trained ninja. No, this time around we all may lose you in a battle near to the future." He paused and then placed his hands on her shoulders as he looked deep into her eyes, his own filled with the love and concern he would not have allowed himself to show at any other time. "Mia, I do not want to lose you. Not now, Not ever. I love you to much any more. However I know that Like the Ronins you will not stop fighting even at your own risk so I only ask one thing. Please Mia, Please be careful in your future battles, especially if you insist on battling the Ninja on your own."

Mia looked up at Anubis and saw the concern and love and knew that he knew how she would continue with this war. She saw the way he would deal with her death and knew that she could do nothing but try to love him as long as she was around to do so. "I promise, I promise that I will be there for you. I-I love you too."

This was a monumental admission for Mia but they both knew that they would not have time to savor it as they had explainations to render to the guys and Kento would be in the kitchen soon unless they got the afternoon snacks out to the livingroom fast.

As they both stepped out to the livingroom with the trays of snacks and drinks the looks on their face clued the others in that this was going to be a serious discussion. As the guys grabbed the sandwichs and drinks as they sat down Mia started in on her explaination.

"As Talpa had his minions and the Warlords. The Obajon of the ninja that are invading this world has his own Ninja Masters. The Mistress you met today is Nikial. Fortunately she is one of the weaker Masters to the Obajon. Unfortunatley for us she is still able to take all five of you Ronins on and not break a sweat."

"I believe that life is about to get a lot faster for all of us Ronins. Not just in school as I know that you all have tests coming up, But on the battle field as the Obajon has now seen fit to try to insinuate the Masters into your lives." Anubis came into the discussion with the information and was not surprised at the answer that he recieved.

"I thihnk that we can find them out and take care of them. Especially if they were as stupid as that Nikial woman." Ryo agreed with Kento but Cye was unsure of that.

"I don't know guys. I mean she may have been told to be that transperant for a reason to set us off balance. If what she did was not supposed to happen I have a feeling we will not see her again for a long time." He sat in one of the corner chairs and thought about the problem as the others discussed the matter from the angle he had spun on it.

The discussion was long and many plans were made and remembered incase of any further infiltration and Mia nodded to Anubis. "I think that we should all head for bed for the night. You all need your rest for your weekend training and there is always the possibility of Ninja attacks in the night as well as the day so you all should rest while you can."

"What about you Mia?"

"Me? I already take my own advice so I do not need it. As it is I am headed for bed as of right now." With that she stood up and started up the stairs for her room.

Rowen looked at the others and to Anubis. "Well I guess we should follow her advice for once and go to bed. We are no good when we are dead on our feet from lack of sleep." The others nodded and as they headed up the stairs they heard one last warning from Anubis.

"Remember. the ninja are not just of the body but of the mind."

* * *

I do not own any rights to The Ronin Warriors or their characters. However. The Silver Raven Spirit Armor IS my idea and I will send the Masho and Youja after you if you steal it. This page is copyrighted: [Dragon Dagger][1] 8/31/2000.

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	14. Chapter 14

The sky, The sky was so clear and the air was so crisp that it was cool and enjoyable to be out. Looking down at his feet Kento realized that he wsa not on the ground but was actually flying throught he air. "What is going on. I am supposed to be on the ground not in the air!!"  
  
As he looked around he heard a silvery laughter ring about him seeming to envelope him in the sound. "Kento, Kento Rei Faun, Kento of HardRock." The names surrounded himfirst lovingly then harder and more hatefully. "The spider was right about you Kento, Hardrock can no more change its nature than the stone it was named after."  
  
~The spider?? Whats Dais have to do with this.~ Kento started looking around for signs of his friends or the owner of the voice that was speaking to him. Soon he heard a familiar song and as he strained to hear the lyrics he was almost shocked at what he heard.  
  
"The itsy bitsy spider, went up the water spout  
Down came l'raine and squashed the spider out  
Out came the Son and dried up all l'raine  
But the itsy bitsy spider could never live again."  
  
Kento listened as the melody swam around him, then faded away with the daylight that was there. He had to wonder what this was all about as the voice was that of a child's. How could a mere child know who he was and how to make him fly with out his armor?  
  
As he touched down to the ground he felt himself grow weary, as if the act of flight was his own actions and the exertion pulled on him. He found a tree and hopped up into it and as he leaned back to brace himself he found himself falling asleep. As the Darkness claimed his mind Kento woke up in his own bed wondering if what he had was a Dream, Vision or something else all together. As he looked out the window he saw that it was still night and there was no sign of the dawn so he figured that it was still late. He turned back over and tried to go back to sleep but that melody kept haunting him.  
  
-----  
  
Encased in the darkness Rowen tried desperately to find his way out. The walls were close to him and he wanted again to feel the openess of the skies again. "Silly Rowen, Rowen Hashiba, Rowen of the Strata." The child's voice chided him as it identified him.   
  
Rowen stopped looking for a way out as soon as he heard the voice and wondered at its child like clarity. ~Who is that?~ "What do you want? Why am I here??"  
  
The voice giggled. "Silly Rowen ever so curious and always in trouble."  
  
"Darkness had a little scam, It's fleece was green and glowed  
everywhere the green one went, the darkness surely goes  
it followed him to school one day hoping light would play  
but learned a lesson from his own, the darkness can not repay  
Death is there for one and all, its darkness eternal plight  
Come and get the darkness Halo, your friends will share his light."  
  
The poem's words flowed with menacing hatred around Rowen as he finally latched on to the mind of Halo and used his own light to haul himself out of the dark pit that was there. Once he reached the light Rowen found himself disturbingly awake even though the room was completely black with the still autumnal night.  
  
-----  
  
As the two boys reached out with their minds for any other sign of disturbance they ran into each other mentally and agreed to head to the kitchen to talk about the dreams. Rowen quietly got up and moved stealthily out of the room and down the hall towards the stairs and the kitchen.  
  
As he moved he had to wonder why the little girl spoke to him even though the poem she had recited sounded more like it was directed at Sage than the others. He also had to wonder what kind of dream Kento had to get him up this early in the night. Usually the big guy slept much like Rowen did untill the scent of food wafted up the stairs in an irresistable alarm call.  
  
As Kento and Rowen reached the kitchen they opened the door only to find Anubis in conversation with White Blaze and Mia. The three that were already in the kitchen looked unsurprised as the two came into the room as they offereed hot chocolate to the boys.  
  
"Looks like my warning was in time to prevent so potentially serious damage." Anubis looked over at Mia and then to the boys as they sat down and accepted the warm drinks. "I can only assume that something rather unusual happened in your dreams to wake you up at this hour, Especially you Rowen."  
  
Rowen nodded just accepting that it did take something pretty spectacular to wake him up at this early/late hour. They all jumped however when the unexpected presence of Sage shuffled through the door with a very grim look on his face as he looked at Rowen. "What was the meaning of the mental wake up call at this hour of the morning Rowen??"  
  
"Sit down Sage and I will get you something to drink while we all try to find out what all happened to Kento and Rowen that succeeded in waking you up." Mia had stood up and pushed Sage towards the table and the chairs as she seemed to float over to the still hot kettle and made a cup of Sage's favorite herbal tea. Pressing it into his hands she accepted his nod of thanks and moved back over to her seat.  
  
As she sat down they started talking in detail about the dreams. "A touch strange that your dream would have you in Rowen's element and yet have the song directed at you and your armor Kento. But I find it far more unusual that Rowen would be put into Sage's element and have the poem that was given to him really be directed at Sage." Anubis watched from the background as he was familier with the ronin's as a group and they tended to exclude anyone that was not directly involved in the conversation until they were needed.  
  
"Actually I think I can answer that question there Mia." The now more awake and alert Sage spoke up now after drinking his tea. "Ever since I was young I knew that I was to an extent empathic. In my own defence I focused my studies in the martial arts into the direction of meditation and and the shielding of my mind from mental distraction and coersion. The mental shield I have developed over the years are very strong but not inpenetrable, as demonstrated by Rowen's mind being able to wake me up. The shield itself I have an autonomous reflex to raise those shields at night when I am asleep only to bring them down when awakened by an imovable force or trouble."  
  
Sage turned his grey eye to Rowen. You say you were in a closed dark space when you heard the poem?" When Rowen nodded in assent he thought. "Well that could be that you astral walked back to the caverns where I was sent the first tiem around to recharge after our first major battle with Talpa."  
  
Mia injected. "That would make sense considering Kento was flying when he entered the dream. Rowen, what were you doing as you woke up from the dream?" Mia, Anubis, Sage and Kento all looked over at Rowen as he thought of how to word his reply.  
  
"Welllll. I think what was happening was that I remembered Sage and the light ans I felt his mind somewhere. I reached for it and grabbed and used that to help me out of the darkness. As soon as I got to the light I woke up into the dark room again." Rowen had grabbed a pencil and a note pad that was nearby and was doodling and sketching as he spoke. The pictures that flowed from his fingers to the paper were incredible as they slowly turned one line at a time into the nine ronin armors in miniature. As he finished his doodling he realized what he had done and also realized that the armors each had something different about them. None of them could put their finger on what it was and left it at that for the moment.

* * *

I do not own any rights to The Ronin Warriors or their characters. However. The Silver Raven Spirit Armor IS my idea and I will send the Masho and Youja after you if you steal it. This page is copyrighted: [Dragon Dagger][1] 8/31/2000.

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	15. Chapter 15

In the morning it took a little more than usual to wake Rowen up, but Sage and Kento understood why and they gave a quick explanation to Ryo and Cye once they woke up and were wondering why it was taking Rowen so long to wake up for school.Usually just the mention of being late to his advanced classes was enough to wake the sleeping Ronin of Strata.

As they all went through their classes they were all edgy and almost sharp with the students in the gym class. As the students backed off and were almost subdued as Cye took the guys off to the side and talked to them.  
  
"Look you guys, I know that you are all freaked about the dreams that happened last night. However we can not let the battles of the outside interfere with what we do here unless we can not help it at all. The students trust us to be instructors and their peers. They do not need to find out at a bad moment that we are the last line between this realm and the demon hordes sitting out there waiting to take out our world!" His voice was calm and low so the other students would not hear him but to the guys there was no mistaking how upset he was at their behavior.  
  
"We have to have faith in Mia to tell us when she needs help or that Anubis will come for us and find a way to get out of class so that we can do what we do best. Until then we are students and teachers. Now get it together and lets get the other students calmed down to finish class." Cye had taken control of the talk and never let go until he got his point across. With that he released them all and grabbed some of the students that were struggling for work on stances and Kata's on his mat. As he looked around he noticed that the others had split off to various mats and had settled the problems of the Ninja incursion to the back burner so that they could focus on the students. He nodded to himself as he remembered something that Mia/Silver Raven told him about leading and wondered why the others listened to him at all today.  
  
~You are the peacemaker.~ The thought was so alien to his mind and unfamiliar in tone and feeling that he was startled out of the half concentration he had formed in watching the students work out and thinking about the days events. After looking around to make sure that none of the other students had spoken to him he pondered the thought a little longer and then stored it away for the afternoon meeting that they had all agreed would  
happen just before the next Homework session in the living room.

  
----  
  
The others on the other hand had been completely surprised and taken off their guard with Cye's forcefulness that they had almost immediately calmed down. Ryo focused deeper than usual to bury the outer agitation that he felt towards the current situation at the Mansion and focused on his part of the class and the basic weapons Kata's that some of the more advanced students were interested in.  
  
~I wonder what crawled up Cye to get him that upset at the rest of us like that. Normally he does not have a problem with us acting a little out of the norm because of the current situation. Why is it that he is trying to be so secretive now??~ his thoughts trailed off as he stepped onto the mats again to demonstrate a basic two sword Kata for the students to show them what could be done with a mastery of one sword.  
  
----  
  
Rowen was now fully awake by now having had several periods of classes to wake up to was working with the students on the falls and rolls to prevent further injury to the person by improper fall techniques. As he started demonstrating the various techniques involved in falling properly and rolling he let his mind float free of the normal constraints to focus on the larger problem. ~Cye is even starting to become more assertive. This has got to be something that does not happen to often as he is used to working more in the background. I wonder if this is a sign as to how serious things will become in the near future.  
  
Cye is getting more assertive, and Kento has been a completely different person ever since the day before we all found out we were going back to school. It is more like he found something that he never knew he had and it changed him. Then there are the dreams. Man what can they mean. The Warlords are able to take care of themselves aren't they??~

His thoughts were soon interrupted when he heard the Gym instructor. "Hashiba, Faun, Sanada, Date, and Mouri. You are needed in the administrative office. You have some rather important visitors it seems and they will not wait for school to end to see you."  
  
As Rowen and the others looked at the instructor they had noticed that he had blanched almost white and they all decided that it would be a good Idea if they would just hurry up and get dressed so that they could figure out what all was going on.  
  
----  
  
As they entered the office Kento could only grin at the scene that unfolded as everything made sense as soon as it registered who was all in the office. 

He called out. "Hey spider!" A man with white hair and eye patch and clad in only a purple and dark colored sub armor whipped around to see Kento not only out of his armor but also in regular clothes. Dais grabbed Cale's shoulder and Kayura and Sekmet all turned to look at the latest arrivals to the office.


	16. Chapter 16

Sage walked up to the gentleman that Cale was holding in the air, obviously threatening bodily harm if the Ronins had not been found.Let him go Cale.He looked at the office staff and took the secretary off to one side.We will be out of class for the rest of the day so that we may settle our guests here in their accommodations.Should we happen to get that done before the day is done here, then we shall return.The secretary could only nod as she was still in shock over what the blue haired man had been saying and doing .

Sage then gestured to the entire group to leave the office I think that it is safe to say that we will be excused for the remainder of the day.Thank you Cale.Sage's tone was lightly mocking but Cale ignored it and nodded.Whatever.Anubis called a little meeting and wanted us to come get you out of class for the meeting.

I take it then that you have heard about our little problem then??Ryo spoke up and looked at Kayura as she affirmed the question.He fell silent and to the back of the group as they walked out of the school lot and towards Mia's.He was surprised a bit later to find Kento at the back of the group not picking on Dais but looking like he was thinking about as hard as Ryo had been.Hey Kento, what's got you so down man??I mean your normal target for jibes is up there and your are back here with me looking like you are lost and trying to find your way about a strange town.

Its nothing man, Just trying to figure out just how bad things are going to get if Anubis has already called Kayura and the other warlords back to this realm for a meeting on the Ninja.I mean, What isn't Mia telling us.I know that they have a few hundred years battle experience on us but what else are they going to be able to do??

Cale has the best experience with the shadows and the dark side of the light.And Dais is the best to deal with the Ninja mind tricks dealing with the illusions, But that all together can be manipulated you know??And Sekmet might be able to counteract some of the surprises that the Ninja's can throw at us.But what about Kayura and the Ogre Armor??It was the Armor of Cruelty and yet behind all this I can see that once given the chance to, whomever is pulling the strings in this round can be more cruel than anything the armor can handle.

Kento lapsed back into silence as he started thinking about things again and left Ryo in wonder as he knew that his buddy was changing gears mentally, but he never expected this much thought about the battles that lay ahead to come from the big guy.

Sage was also silent but his was a silence of reason, thought, curtacey, and basically he had nothing to add to the lack of conversation as they all walked into the park.When they all reached a small grove of trees, the Ronins all gathered their Kanji Crystals and transformed into their respective subarmors and took to the trees.Sage, Cale and Cye were the least detected by the others as they made it as a group to the mansion where they ran into a very large surprise.

As they all walked up to the mansion they all realized that Kento was no longer walking with them and try as they might not a one of them could figure out when he had separated from the rest of the group.Dais was the first to spot the ronin of HardRock as he leaned up against the doorway to the mansion in his old t-shirt and jeans.Looking at the others he grinned and called out.What took you all so long??

The Warlords could only gape at the boy before them and the Guys could only again wonder what it was that lit the fire under their comrade.They all walked into the kitchen and were slightly surprised to see Mia and Anubis there as well as White Blaze sitting at the table with a full spread lunch sitting in front of them.They paused their discussion and looked up at all of the bearers of the armors and smiled.Mia stood up and gestured to the table.Please, Have a seat and eat.Preferably before Kento gets to it all.

The small joke pointed at her friend lightened the mood a bit as they all laughed at Kento's expression of mock hurt when he sat at the table and served himself.The others followed suit and soon they were well over halfway through the meal that Mia had prepared.Anubis looked up from his thoughts and started the gathering.We now have a confirmation of who it is that is directing this latest infestation of evil against the Earth realm.

That one starting sentence was all it took to get the undivided attention of everyone at the table.With hands and forks on auto-pilot they all listened as Anubis and Mia continued.Today after my latest trip out to school, I ran across a group of the Ninja that were apparently camped out at the College, waiting for me to arrive.

Because I was on a slightly different schedule this morning they were not expecting me and I was able to defeat them with out having to call on you all.However I did manage to take the cowl off one of the demon ninjas and I saw the mark of the Demon leader that has been the root of the Evil.

Mia was looking around at the others as she related her story and she knew by the looks in her friend's eyes that they had already figured out that she was fighting these things on her own.They weren't happy with her, but they also could not stop her even if they wanted to.During the battle with Talpa she had wanted to help more than she had already and knew at that time she could not have. Now it was painfully obvious to them all that she was going to get seriously hurt if she did not start having help in her battles to help take up the load.

Mia, Why aren't you telling us when you have these battles.You know that we all want to help you, and you know that between your hours of research for the College and for the Armors that you are not getting enough rest to restore your energies.The others agreed with Sage when he commented about her flagging energies and the dark circles under her eyes.

Ryo picked up where Sage left off.Yeah, I mean if nothing else get these guys to help you out if we are in school.He gestured to the Warlords as they glared back at him.They aren't and something tells me that they would not be here if they were not going to get involved in some way shape or form in the near future.If they haven't already.


	17. Chapter 17

You guys may be right, however now that you are almost caught up with the Warlords in training, you will now need to train with them to form a team that can work together.Old memories and arguments must be pushed aside and new bonds must be forged over the old lines of distrust.You must all be able to trust each other to be there when you need them most, and this will be a most difficult lesson to learn as you all have been two separate factions long enough to know that this will not be easy to mend the old tears in the possible alliances.The warlords were staring at Mia but Anubis and the younger five kept eating as they listened to Mia. 

As Cye looked up at the four gaping warlords he commented.You guys are going to have to get used to that.Silver Raven has a tendency of doing that when you least expect it.But she knows what she is talking about and she is drawing from Mia's memories and her knowledge of the pasts of our armors to understand what has been making things difficult lately. 

Kayura, Dais, Cale, and Sekmet all looked from the calmly eating guys to Mia whose eyes were glowing an odd silvery color and back again before they decided that it would probably be for the best that they did get used to Mia having some unusual abilities in this meeting.As they returned to their eating they looked up at Anubis and Sekmet asked.So how was it that you are back??I mean you were very much dead when we last were able to fight together. 

Let's Just say it was a case of need.White Blaze knew what was going on but could not communicate that to well to the Ronins, and Mia did not have a clue about what was going on.This time she was going to need all the help she could get and Silver Raven knew that she trusted me as did most of the ronins and so called me out of the spirit realm to help them in this fight. 

This is not permanent, but it does feel good to be back, even under the circumstances. 

The Warlords all nodded at the explanation and as the meal continued they discussed everything that happened and Mia used her ability of showing things like a projector to help clarify certain situations.By the time everyone had finished the Warlords were caught up on the news and there was a map showing the places of the attacks spread out on the table.As they all looked at it, Dais walked around it and nodded. 

Do you all see a pattern emerging here??He looked around at the blank faces that looked back at him.As the other three warlords walked around the map they too began to see the pattern that was emerging.With smiles on their faces they asked Mia to reset the map and place the dots that matched the battles in the order the battles were fought. 

As she complied comprehension dawned on the younger five warrior's faces as they saw what Dais was getting at.Almost all of the battles were being fought with in a block of the battles they had previously fought the Warlords, and always the battle started to the North of the old battle site.Some one had been watching and planning very carefully for this time, and that meant that they would also know about each of the Armor's strengths and weaknesses in battle and what they all came together to form.All they could hope for now was that they did not have some one in the Dynasty when they fought Kayura in the final battle and they would have one little secret to hold as an ace. 

The map disappeared and as they all sat back down at the table they nodded to each other.This was serious and if they all did not band together both the Dynasty and the Mortal realm could fall to the yet un named evil. 

Mia, why won't you tell us the name of the puppet-master behind all of this?I mean if we know about him then we can go after him and take him out that much sooner.Kento was trying to understand the strategy behind the secrecy but as fate would have it, he was not having much luck. 

Kento, I can not tell you who the puppet-master is because that is something that you can not know until it is time.If you know too soon then you will all perish if you take it into your heads that it would be good to take him out now.But until then we have to weaken him.Find his weak points because as we found out the hard wayThese ninja that we have been fighting have been trainedand trained well.Mia was trying to put to words why she could not tell with out giving too much away and the elder warriors respected that.As Kento and Ryo looked about ready to argue, Kayura stood up and headed for the back door. 

I do not know about all of you, but Mia/Silver Raven mentioned that we all needed to train together to learn to be the better team.I say we do it now while we have the chance to train instead of waiting to be attacked to find out where we all fit into the team.As she stepped out of the door, Mia and Anubis stood up and followed her leaving the rest to get up and follow at their own pace. 

Hours after night had fallen, ten beaten, scraped, and bloody warriors returned to the mansion with Mia to get their wounds tended.Mia had some minor cuts and bruises but they were from tangling with Warlord/Ronin pairs that had chosen their own partners. 

Dais and Kento came up with several strategies that left most of the other teams wondering what hit them after Dais walked up to the groups and then unleashed Kento's Iron Rock Crusher.As they ate a path through the other teams the strategies were getting simpler but they were working.Dais was still surprised that the old pit them off each other trick still worked to a certain degree, and usually Kento would mop up with his sure-kill or Dais would tie them up in his webs to let them try to escape on their own. 

Ryo and Anubis were also one of the better brain/Brawn combinations as raw skill was incorporated into the fights and they usually traded fighting partners until the other team either wore down or just ended up getting severely singed by Ryo's Flare Up Now Attack. 

Rowen and Kayura seemed to be able to hear the other's thoughts as they attacked and forced the other teams into splitting up then trading places to tie them up.What surprised everyone though was when Kayura used Quake With Fear, Rowen used his Sure Kill and they combined in the middle to become one attack.The combined energy of the attack held the captured team in a bind that took a very ticked off Sekmet's acid to break. 

As Sekmet and Cye were released from the double bind they found themselves facing off with the last pair, Cale and Sage against Mia/Silver Raven.Cale and Sage like their respective sources still were reconciling several problems when they literally ran into Mia.As she was in full armor she smiled at them and flipped over them. 

As they looked at where she was they noticed what was coming at them, to late and were smashed into the tree line by one rather powerful Super wave Smasher followed with no break in the flow by the armor eating Warlord of Venom's own Strike. 

As Cye and Sekmet helped Sage and Cale back up Sage noticed that Sekmet's touch was healing Cale and the Armor of Corruption in a dull haze.As Sage accepted the apologies from the pair he noted that the Venom Lord's hand was on his shoulder healing him in the same haze.As he looked at Sekmet in question he got his answer. 

Did you honestly think I could not find a way to get my own venom to reverse its own effects??The somewhat sarcastic reply came as he was promptly tackled to the ground by the Warrior in Green.As he was about to hit Sage for attacking him Sage picked him up off the ground and pointed to the spot where they had all 4 been standing.Cale had tackled Cye and was pointing to the large hole that was recently placed there. 

As they all recognized Mia's handy work they focused on her and as the five teams slowly coalesced into a rather formidable fighting force Mia smiled to herself as she called a halt to the practice. 

As they were bandaging each other up in a large circle each bandaging the person next to them, Mia stood up and smiled.You all did well, Next time you will all switch partners and learn about other skills that can be used in battle.As you all started to come together and fight me this evening you may have noticed that you all became stronger.You were feeding off each other's energy to keep going.It is that very link that will keep you fighting in a battle long after you should have been dead. 

As you became stronger your attacks started to blend with the others and as you gained strength and power and familiarity with these attacks you will find ways of defeating the Ninja.Keep learning, you will need all the knowledge you can get to battle these minions.Unlike the spirit cans of Talpa's dynasty, these Ninja will be much harder to defeat and it will take everything you haveand more to defeat them. 

They all looked at each other and sighed.They still did not fully trust each other yet but they all knew that this was when it counted and now they had no choice but to do the impossible again.

* * *

Chapter 17 and still no end in sight....*grins* The RWs and respective characters are not mine. However Silver Raven and the SR Armor ideas are mine so Back off hehehe. QC&C is to be sent to [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	18. Chapter 18

Since it was the weekend Kento suggested that maybe they all go into town for a while and check out the mall and maybe a movie.It sounded like a good idea and so they all climbed into Mia's hummer that she had purchased recently for the purpose of transporting larger numbers of people and they headed off into town. 

As they got to the mall everyone noticed that not one fight had broken out and that everyone seemed to be quieter than usual lately.The Warlords shrugged it off as the possibility of the Ronin's being tired from all the training they had been doing lately and the Ronin's all thought that the Warlords were just trying to take everything that had been rebuilt since their attack in (This was not to far from the truth either). 

Mia found herself a large enough parking space on the back edge of the parking lot and as they all got out to go into the mall Kento took off calling out that he would meet them all in front of the movie theater in three hours.The other Ronin and warlords all looked after him wondering what was going on when Mia took Kayura and Cye's hands and lead them forward into the mall. 

As they all spread out they decided to divide up into smaller groups and check out the place on their own.So Kayura, Anubis and Mia were one group and the others paired off or doubled up into different groups.Since Kento had set the three hour meeting time in front of the theater they all took off in different directions to explore the mall and see if they would run into Kento. 

Three hours later they were all in front of the theater with the exception of Kento and they were grumbling about it when Sage felt a hand on his shoulder and a voice next to him say.Chill dudes, I am here!Sage nearly jumped out of his skin when that happened and as he turned to face his comrade just about everyone in the group was laughing.Everyone except Sage and Dais. 

Sage just glared at the others and waited for them to all calm down and Dais was off in another world thinking about what had been happening to his once nemesis.He had no Idea that the Ronin of Hardrock could be so silent and undetectable.Usually Dais was the first to notice when one of the other eight armors was approaching him, but this time he did not feel Kento come up on the group and this disturbed him greatly for some reason. 

All of them wondered where Kento was that they did not see him at all in the mall in the three hours that they were there looking around and shopping before the movie.Those thoughts were put aside as the group decided to go in and see the X-Men.As they sat in the theater they got some strange looks for the size of their group and where they sat blocked the views of some of the teenaged groups that were in to see the movie.As they grew tired of the disruptions to the movie Dais reached into his shirt and took his yoroi into his hand.Ryo and Anubis were sitting next to him and as they saw what he had reached for they could only smile and nudge their neighbors down the line so that the group would be warned of some rather unexpected events that would be happening soon. 

Still, as prepared as they were for Dais' tricks in the theater they were not prepared for how he unleashed them.As they watched the movie Dais slowly wove his trap for the annoying little rats behind him ~If they like the movie so much Lets just see how they deal with seeing something like the real thing~He grinned to himself as he always enjoyed employing his abilities whether it was on the Ronins or on unsuspecting and annoying runts. 

Slowly all eleven members of the group began to glow in their respective colors to their armors with Anubis glowing a dark golden color and Mia a dark black purple.All of them heard the gasp of the group of teen thugs behind them and could only smile as they knew that Dais' trap would be taking effect soon. 

As they looked at each other they knew that he would be affecting them as well as the thugs kids behind them as they saw each other in their armors right down to the faceplates and smirked.They knew that they were not really in their armors so they turned around and looked at the kids and Dais had a most intense sense of satisfaction as they screamed and ran from the glowing eyes behind the faceplates of the most terrifying armor they had seen. 

As the boys left they failed to notice that the eleven people who had once been sitting as daemons in front of them were now normal people again and snickering at the retreating figures.However the movie was ruined for most of the group as they all had taken time out of the movie to teach a lesson to those boys. 

As they left the theater Mia talked to the manager about the incident and he was completely understanding and told her that those boys had been banned from the theater.He also gave them all passes to see another movie since they were a large group and some of them were familiar to him. 

As they all left the mall something troubled Rowen.Something was tickling at his mind but as he worried at it in his mind it would not show itself to clear thought.To him it was a vague presentment of danger and he soon figured out why. 

As it was evening and the lot was empty with the exception of the occasional security vehicle that would drive by.Rowen looked up at the stars and breathed a sigh a peace until he saw out of the corner of his eye Mia reaching for the door latch.The presentment clarified instantly and he yelled.MIA DON'T!!!Miastopped instantly and everyone looked curiously at Rowen as he almost never burst out like that with out a good reason. 

Rowen narrowed his eyes and thought hard about how to explain himself when his crystal and forehead kanji flared brightly.As the dark blue light hit the vehicle they could all see what Rowen had felt.A ward had been placed on the entire vehicle and like a most explosive bomb, would have taken them all out with the energy stored with in it had Mia or any one else crossed the ward's barrier line. 

Now Mia was thoroughly incensed.First these Ninja dare to attack her world and her friends, and NOW they have the unmitigated gall to set and explosive ward on her property to harm them all?!?Before she knew it she was in her sub-armor and off into the trees.The warlords all made to follow her only to be restrained by a Ronin and to have Cye and Anubis stand in front of the group.Let her go, she knows what she is doing and she will call on us if she needs our help.For now we need to find a way to break that ward so that no one gets hurt.

* * *

As before. Ronins and other characters from the show are not mine. I am just borrowing them for the story line, and whith out whom I would not have a story. Silver Raven is mine however so stealing her will trigger a mass wave of Ronin/Warlord/Ancient retaliation ;) QC&C is to be delivered by hand to [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	19. Chapter 19

As Anubis finally had to call on the Staff, the guys were all on surveillance.Mia was off at a good distance in the short time it took them to call on the staff and her power levels were spiking pretty high, indicating that there was a full-fledged battle in progress.As they all put their things in the vehicle the Warlords all changed into their respective armors a split second before the Ronins.Only Kayura stayed out of armor and sub armor but instead opted for her old uniform and Jittes. 

White Blaze met them half way to the battle site in the nearby park and as they all thundered closer they soon took to the trees to see what they could find out about the battle first before joining.As they entered the clearing they all heardSHADOW SOUL RECALL!!!The Ronins all knew what this meant and quickly made a protective circle around Kayura and Anubis.Once the circle was in place Kayura unleashed her attack with Sage and Cale and the combined force of the triple attack of light and dark was enough to overwhelm a section of the Ninja that were still left from Mia's main attack. 

As the others had seen the combined attacks work as they had hoped they started pairing off leaving Anubis to fight with the staff, which seemed to work as a Talisman against the evil no matter the form.Even with the combined attacks, the battle was long and draining.The hordes of ninja attacked from everywhere and there were to many shadows for them to hide in, and as the guys started to wear down they felt a surge of fresh energy flow as they all heard.To ARMS!!!Kayura had finally called on the Ogre armor and the new energy revitalized the other warriors a bit.But this time even Mia was starting to wear down.The battle was made easier when Kayura started using the sure kill for them, but it was still a war that was bigger than anything they had battled in the dynasty previously. 

The night was still long and the battle was nowhere close to being finished, Anubis had resorted to using the spells of the staff to start casting wards of the warriors and the Ninja.Nothing was helping much as the night wore on.The Ninja were endless and the fighting was starting to get patterned.Kill a handful with a combined attack with the nearest person and try to recover in time to kill the one that got away. 

Daylight finally started peaking its rosy head above the horizon and the ninja started shrinking away.The stronger ninja were the last to go.The leader of the attack dropping a message before he retreated into the dawning mist.Rowen picked up the note and left the battle clearing as the morning sun touched the ninja uniforms they all disappeared like shadows. 

The eleven tired, sore and severely wounded warriors quit the field of battle, grateful that they were all still alive to see the daylight and then armored down as they reached Mia's Mansion.They barely managed to stay awake to bandage each other up and even Sage had to endure the healing session, as even he could not summon the energy to use his armor's healing abilities. 

Mia and Anubis managed to stay awake long enough to badger the other nine up the stairs and at least into a bed where they all collapsed wearily.Anubis escorted/badgered Mia, down the hall to her own room.But it was herself that ended up catching Anubis as he stumbled and passed out in the middle of the fall.Mia knew she would not make it back to his room and then to her bed so she made the decision and placed Anubis in her bed and collapsed in the recliner that was next to the bed.Both sound asleep till the next day.

* * *

One by one as each of the warriors woke up they realized that it was light out still.But as they looked at their clocks and watches they realized that they had all slept well over 24 hours.No attacks had come during the time they were asleep and it puzzled them, until Rowen remembered the note he had picked up when the ninjas had disappeared the day before. 

As he read it to the others their faces became still until Mia finally spoke up.If this last 24 plus hours was the last real chance for rest that we all will be having then I have a feeling that we will all be depending on our armors a lot more from here on out.The ninja have just declared a war of attrition, whomever folds first is going to get eaten alive.She looked at Kayura and the remaining three Warlords.Now that you have seen what we will be up against.Will you stay with us through the end?If you wish, you may all go back to the Dynasty and live, because I know that the danger of us not surviving this fight is greater by far than any chance of us living to be old. 

Mia did not dare tell them what the true odds were and what was really at stake as that would only provoke them to stay.She wanted some of the original armor bearers to live and tell the tale if it was meant to be told.As she looked at the Warlords, she looked at the Ronin's and extended the invitation to leave the battle to them as well. 

Mia left for the kitchen to let them all talk it over and Anubis followed her.Surprised by this gesture, she was even more surprised when he sat her somewhat forcefully into a chair and started working on her stiff and abused muscles.As she went limp she was also mildly reproving in her stature.You need not do this Anubis, This is a decision that you will have to make as well.You may not have the choice in the end of where you are going.But the choice to leave or stay is yours. 

Anubis chuckled softly.Lady, you may be tougher than the warlords and ronin's combined, but even you need some one to be there for you.I would not be true to myself if I were to quit now.There is a battle to be won against a great evil and you seem to be holding the keys to that victory. Even with everything White Blaze and I know about you, there is still much that we do not know.It is in this that is why I am staying with you and the others.He leaned down and whispered softly into her ear. 

It is that and the fact that you are the one that has captured my heart.Knowing this, and how you feel about me, you would still try to keep me safe from harm.That is the old guardian in you I sense talking.Now is the time of letting go.The Ronins are no longer boys, but men willing to fight.The Warlords are no longer enemies, but allies in a fight that may take all of our lives in the end no matter what we may do.Be all this as it may, we must still hang on to one thing that is constant.You still seem to hold the cards to the destruction of the evil that besets us, and it is you that we would all protect as well as this world you now and will always try to protect. 

Mia smiled softly as his reason reached her as well as his feelings.The moment was broken when Cale quietly cleared his throat.Ahem, we have all come to a decision.Mia looked at Anubis and then to him and smiled knowingly.We have all decided that, Come what may.We will all fight.

Then there is much to be done.Bring the others in, there is much to talk about and even more to plan for and not enough time to do either.Mia/Silver Raven took over and Cale still wondered at the woman that he once could have crushed easily but still left to call the others to the table for planning.It was going to be a long evening.

* * *

Ronins are not mine. Silver Raven is. An just because I am tired this will be short. Send QC&C to [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	20. Chapter 20

It was time.Mia, Anubis and White Blaze all knew it.The meeting to plan their tactics against the ninja in this newly waged war of attrition was going as well as could be expected.The natural opponents nit picked and their compatriots would come to their aid.Only Mia's forceful personality kept a tight reign on the group.With the fights that broke out it was a wonder that they got anything done during that day.But they did and now it was the time for Mia/Silver Raven to drop the bomb. 

Anubis walked from the counter behind her in support and White blaze sat up from his place and put his head under her hand.Ryo looked at them and immediately smelled trouble.Uh oh.You have news we're not gonna like.Ryo's comment and serious mien put everyone on their guard as they looked at the woman at the head of the meeting who was flanked by two guardians. 

Mia could only nod as she felt SilverRaven take over to explain for her.I am sorry. The duo apologized in their odd tone.I should have warned you about the outcome of this battle that you are now planning.No matter the cost you must find the way to lock Obajan away forever.No matter the cost. 

Mia was left to fend for herself now that SilverRaven helped her get the ball rolling.I can only do so much to help in this battle.But once again the fate of this world and many others rests on your abilities and your willingness to cooperate with each other in this.The final battle.She looked sad and to everyone's surprise she leaned back on her stool and rested against Anubis' shoulder. 

Remember all of you.This will be a war of attrition.The first to fold looses everything, we can not be that one.Anubis was serious as he again took up the staff of the ancient.I will help you as I can.But as it is I am only here to really help Mia and I should return to the spirit realm now that she has gained the understanding with Lady SilverRaven.But until I am called, I will remain and fight as I can to help you all to your objective." 

The rest of the night plans were made discussed/fought over and discarded.Nothing that they could come with seemed to be right until Ryo, and Kento tag teamed on probably the only idea that night that would have a chance of working.Hey guys, what about doing what we all do best??Ryo got some strange looks until Kento's face cleared of its confusion and he started chuckling.He quit when Cye and Sekmet elbowed him on both sides and as he glared at the pair he smirked and explained for everyone else. 

What a better way to do things than to create complete and utter chaos with in their ranks.Cye and Rowen's faces cleared and after a moment Sage began to chuckle.Not a bad idea, It worked before, why shouldn't it work again??When the four warlord's faces did not clear Rowen grinned and explained it to them. 

Did you guys never wonder how we were able to take out so many of those tin can goons of yours back in the Dynasty battles??He looked around and nodded to the others.Well it was because when we grouped, split up and regrouped in different formations, it was to cause as much chaos and damage as possible.Divide and conquer on a 10,000 to 1 scale. 

Cale, Sekmet and Dais looked at the Ronins as if they had lost it, especially when the odds that they fought against and won were mentioned.Kayura chuckled as she looked at the stupefied looks on the other faces.I can see what Rowen is getting at.You have to admit that it was rather effective. 

Yes, but this time the odds are closer to a million to one this time and Obajan can take the souls that are sacrificed in battle and reform them almost as fast as we kill them.Why do you think we were fighting so long the other night?Everyone looked at Mia and drooped a little at the mention of the one thing they were hoping would not come against them. 

Mia stood up and headed for the door.I think that if that is the best we can do then we are all going to need rest so that we can all think on our feet in the battle.It will start soon and it will not end until one or both of us is destroyed. 

Everyone agreed that sleep would be good since the sun was starting to come up and as they all split off to their separate rooms Mia and Anubis were left alone.Wrapping his arms around her she sighed.They didn't ask, yet I think they all have an inkling of what will happen at the end of the battle.But I have to tell them some time soon that the end of the battle means either my death, or the lady SilverRaven being allowed to finally rest in peace.Either way I am not going to be the same person I was and either way I will still lose people I will always consider my family. 

Anubis hushed her and rocked her on the porch swing just comforting her.He knew that she was more scared now in this time than she ever was with any of the warlords in the time of Talpa's dynasty.This was an evil that would be defeated and she would lose or they would be defeated and she would still lose.She was in a catch 22 and he knew that it was all that she could do to keep from breaking at this crucial moment in time. 

She needed to be strong for the battle; Mia only wished that she did not have the knowledge of what she would lose on either side of the coin.It would haunt her and keep her awake but Anubis started humming softly to himself and the soft melody that escaped her recall, combined with the rocking of the swing took their toll and provided Anubis with the desired effect of putting her to sleep so that she could rest. 

He carried her up stairs and put her to bed.The serene look on her face enchanted him as it always did when she was unguarded in her sleep.The years of battles eased and her rest would be truly restful this time.He would be sure of that, and he settled himself into the papasan next to the bed and dozed while Mia slept a deep restful slumber.

* * *

Mia and the Gang are not mine. However Silver Raven is Mine. Mitts off unless you want White Blaze and Anubis paying you a visit ;) QC&C get sent to [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	21. Chapter 21

Kento was exhausted; he had been fighting for hours now and had taken out more ninja in that time with the others than they had ever though that there could be.Yet slowly they were making their way through the enormous numbers and to the front of the groupings. 

Mia had disappeared at some point during the struggle and as Kento and Cye came in contact with the other members of the group they learned that Mia had not been seen since about an hour into the battle.Now they were worried because not only were the odds stacked incredibly against them, the person that knew what was going on was now missing and could possibly have been captured. 

~Damnit where is she, We could really use her help about now.~Three more shuriken imbedded themselves into Ryo's armor and he was thankful that the small metal bits were usually meant as a distraction in combat like this.He did not see the ninja bearing the ninjato behind him until Kayura managed to get under the shot to block it with the Kusari-gama.They nodded to each other and Ryo yelled out, 

The Ronins and Warlords all heard him and took to the air as Kayura cut loose with QUAKE WITH FEARand at the same time Dais in another area cried WEB OF DECEPTIONThe resulting thousands of ninjas that were caught in the wake of both attacks were slaughtered as Cale, Ryo, Sage, Kento, Rowen, Cye and Sekmet all unleashed their sure kills on the ensnared ninja. 

The resounding quiet of the thousands less ninja stirred the warriors to actions and they Ran in the direction where they felt a huge energy that was far darker than anything Talpa had produced.As they ran they could feel that power flux as if in battle and the others could only assume that Mia had somehow gotten through the ninja and to the Obajan. 

The ninja came back slower this time and twenty or thirty at a time so that it was easy for the running Warrior to form a line and as they ran just mow the mindless shadow warriors over and out of existence.They were all tired and their armors were pitted, smoking, charred and in some places missing all together.They could not afford to armor down to recharge as the battle was still on and they knew that with out their armors they would be no match for the ninja, no matter what the state of their armor was in. 

Running forward they caught each other as wounds closed too slowly and tripped them up.Mia was ahead of them and they could feel the SilverRaven armor and Mia in their tandem effort of brains and brawn fighting that Mia preferred.As they cleared the last grove of trees and ninja they were treated to a scene of exceptional energy and ugliness. 

Mia/SilverRaven fought with everything she had and was still getting her ass handed to her.The Obajan was a ninja that was smaller than Mia and as they fought Mia saw them and nodded silently.They looked behind her and saw that White Blaze was out of the fight with a long slash down the length of his side. 

White Blaze!!Ryo leapt forward and the unexpected movement caught the Ninja Obajan off guard enough that it earned a long double slice to mirror the one that White Blaze had.What surprised them all was that no blood spouted from the wound.Instead the wound just seemed to ooze together and close.Mia looked at the shocked warriors and was quickly reminded of the battle that she had to focus on. 

The others took shots in where they could as the battle was fast.Anubis could feel that Mia was growing weary and knew that the other warriors would as well.Mia would not last much longer unless someone did something.WEB OF DECEPTION!!The Obajon was trapped but as it sliced out of the webs easily Dais' attack was complete and as he took advantage of the Obajan's momentary moment of focus change and instead of one Mia, there were many running about the Obajon taking shots and acting just like Mia in battle. 

As the Obajan started towards the ronins they realized that Dais had given them the perfect opportunity to attack the Obajan and get involved in the fight.They fought with renewed purpose and then they saw Kento fall. 

Rowen looked to his friend and saw that a short tanto had pierced his armor and that he was bleeding from the wound.As he rolled his buddy over carefully it revealed the distraction that served to get the Tanto in.A well-aimed suriken clipped him in the neck and his larynx showed to the daylight.Rowen stayed with Kento and Kayura charged to the fore and leapt to the sky. 

Rowen's bow came to his hand from its place on his back and snapped open. 

Kayura swung the Kusari-gama and called out QUAKE WITH FEAR!!! and threw the weighted claw. 

Drawing an arrow from the quiver he aimed carefully and let the energy gather about him at the focus point of the arrow. 

The chains exploded from the ground catching the Obajan in its restricting tangle.The others jumped out of the way. 

The energy was at its highest level ever when Rowen cried out, releasing the pent up energy with practiced ease. 

The blast of intensified energy hit the Obajan square on and not only knocked it clear out of the chains, but started to char the little bits of armor that the Ninja did wear.As the blast stopped and the light faded everyone was shocked to see the Obajan still standing.Not only standing but it started laughing as well the odd dual tone making it impossible for the warriors to tell if it was male or a female that they fought. 

Foolish warriors.When will you all learn that I can never be destroyed.As the Obajan turned to Mia.And SilverRaven, I see you have found your precious Ronins and a body to inhabit as well.You and your Ways are DEAD!Now is the time for the True Ninja!!As the Obajan leapt at Mia/SilverRaven, they both disappeared as Mia was to be hit leaving nine Warriors to wonder where they had gone.

* * *

Ronins are not mine. SilverRaven is. Tread lightly lest White Blaze get ya heh. :) QC&C are to be directed at [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	22. Chapter 22a

As the Ronins and Warlords finished cleaning up the remaining ninja, they noticed that now that the Obajan was not in the area, the Ninja did not come back to continue fighting the determined and tired warriors.With the last of the Ninja gone and a sweep of the area done the Warlords relaxed a little until Anubis showed up.

"You can not relax yet my friends.Mia cannot be found and she is still in combat with the Obajan as we speak.Everything I have tried to do to locate her indicates that she may be in a limbo state.Hence giving the Obajan the advantage since that is the natural grounds for most ninja to hide in."He actually looked a little nervous for once as he looked around at the battle weary folk.

Kento and Cye were bandaging everyone and Sage was working quickly to save White Blaze with an anxious Ryo looking on.The Warlords just sat there quietly taking in what had happened in the battle as they had after the last battle with Talpa and the Dynasty.Kayura was completely armored down and in her old uniform of the Dynasty so as not to be caught off guard while she sat quietly and looked at the battles in retrospect.

Rowen was confused and hurting as one of the ninja had gotten a lucky shot in and just about sliced the tendons in his wrist making him useless with the bow.He was healing, but slowly and so he was working out some theories and equations that almost none of them could understand.

Kento should have been resting on the ground in his armor so that the slice across his throat and stab wound could heal faster, but he was up and about in his sub armor helping Cye by carrying the med kit and holding unwilling subjects down for Cye's treatment.

Cye was battered and bruised but he figured that he would be able to take a quick dip in the lake before they would have to fight again and give his armor a chance to charge up for the next fight and heal him completely in the process like Sage's armor was doing for him in the bright sunlight.

They all were in shock though at what Anubis was able to tell them and they could not help but worry about the woman they had all protected at one time or another.She was the one protecting them this time around and even though she had been the key to Talpa's defeat in the past they knew she would have been safer not fighting then.Now she knew how to fight and yet again was the key to the new evil's end.This time she had to fight, but they all agreed, not with out them.

"We have to find her guys, She wasn't looking to hot the last time we saw her, for all we know, she could be in real trouble this time around and we will not know where to start looking."Sage had finished healing Blaze and as he stood up he armored down to his sub armor and looked at the entire group. 

"Sage's right, we have to find her and quickly.She may be the key and all to the destruction of the Obajan, but she cannot do it on her own.She is probably going to need the Inferno Armor before this is all said and done."Cye looked about and spotting the glitter of the lake through the trees bolted in that general direction.As Ryo and Kento looked after his retreating figure they noticed a heavy limp that hadn't shown when he was moving slower.

"I move that we move this little strategy meeting to the lake so that Cye there can finish what he needs to do and stay updated on the current events."Rowen's suggestion was met with groans of stiff muscles and bodies, but it had to be moved and they all knew it.They all walked to the lake using the light exercise to keep them all limber for the next fight and as they moved they talked quietly in groups of walked alone in thought.Anubis was the quietest one of all.

"You really like her don't you."The quiet voice next to him startled Anubis out of his reverie and as he looked over saw that Ryo had paced with him at the back of the pack.Nodding slightly Anubis wondered why his one time foe took so much interest in this one stray fact.

"Yes, I love her a great deal Ryo of the Wildfire.I will admit that it distresses me that I can not find her."He cut himself off before he could go on.Ryo caught this and only wondered.

"Just be careful in how you plan us to help her out.She has always been ready to die to protect the mortal realm in her own way.If that is her destiny now then it will be."Ryo looked at Anubis and noticed that the one time ancient was preparing to take offence."Look, It will not make it any easier for me to accept.In fact I have not even accepted the fact that she no longer really needs us to protect her any more.I will always be there to protect her and help her out, but I also can not put the Mortal realm at risk because of her."

Ryo's eyes held Anubis' as he made the older man understand that he more than understood what was at stake here.Knowing that Anubis knew that he would have to take the path this time that Ryo followed and not let the Mortal realm become endangered.Anubis nodded and as they finished the walk to the lake the others had already been discussing a way for them all to get to the limbo zone with out further risk to themselves.

"It should be fairly easy.Trusting in our armors and the Staff of the Ancients we should be able to have Cale here transport us all to the limbo with little or no effort.He uses the shadows and the darkness as a freeway anyways and he should know where it is.That will allow us all a way there with out having to worry about a spell going wrong."Kayura had thought it all out based on everybody's strengths and weaknesses.It was a logical plan and everyone agreed that it had the best chance of working out of everything they had come up with until now.Even Anubis agreed that the logic was sound, but Cale disagreed.

"Hey, I only have so much ability and I know that when it comes to lightning boy over there" pointing to Sage "It is going to take more energy than usual because I will be dealing with the polar opposite of my own specialty."Ignoring the looks he was getting from the warrior of light he continued to think out loud.

"No, if nothing else I would only be able to take 3 of you all at a time.Grouped like this and as worn down as we all are right now it would be flat out suicide to try a group shot all at once."So as he looked around Cye crawled up onto the dock out of the water looking much better than the rest of them did and nodded to indicate that he had heard and understood everything.

"So how about groups like this?"And as he laid out group plans he made sure that each group was as balanced as possible to prevent problems and it ended up like this.

Anubis, Sage, Rowen  
Kento, Sekmet, Ryo  
Cye, Kayura, Dais

The groups were agreed on with some grumbling, but in the end they all agreed that Cye probably had the best scope of what all their abilities would be in battle and that all the groups were balanced in some way shape or form.Cale agreed that with Anubis in the same group with Sage, the effort in getting them all to the Limbo would be less and less dangerous than it would have been if there had not been some one with the ability to stabilize the journey magically.So they started on their way and each time Cale came back, he never said anything about what was on the other side but took on the next group and shadow walked to Limbo.

[On to 22b][1]

* * *

Ronins are not mine...this story and SilverRaven are mine though. QC&C are to be sent to [Dragon Dagger][2]

   [1]: ~tianadragon/rw/computer/story/shadows_XXIIb.htm
   [2]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	23. Chapter 22b

The first thing Mia noticed as her vision cleared was that she was at a distinct tactical disadvantage.Her eyes were open but she could see very little except an unending gray.It was as if everything was one big shadow.~You are in the Limbo.~Mia jumped slightly at the voice in her mind, but settled quickly as she recognized SilverRaven.

~Ok, so I'm in Limbo, I am nowhere and everywhere all at once right?~As she received the affirmative she decided to open up her other senses.She had been fully alert for several minutes now and she had not received an attack.She wondered how her friends were doing and where they were.For all she knew they could all be dead and unable to help her.That would mean that she was the be all end all of the defense for the Mortal realm at the Japanese gates.

In her moment of distraction she was knocked off balance and soon saw her attacker.The Obajan was there and was looking for a way to finish the battle.Mia regained her focus and with SilverRaven's help she was soon able to sense where the Obajan was.Mia had learned over the weeks of learning from the spirit that the first step to defeating the Obajan was to take away the mystery as to who the Obajan was.To unmask the Obajan would be almost as impossible as destroying the being, but it had to be done or the Mortal Realm would suffer and eternity of darkness and fear that would have eclipsed anything that Talpa would have done.

Knowing this she wondered why it took so long for the Obajan to attack but did not discount anything as she followed her instincts and attacked.Mia being on the offensive and completely focused on her target she did not realize that there were others in the Limbo.She did not know until she was taken by surprise in a sneak attack.

The Obajan's ninja attacked swiftly and with out mercy as they always did, but Mia had been so focused on one target that she had taken her senses down to a narrow level.She was cut and bleeding in several places and as she looked around at the ninja she knew that with the help of the Armor she could beat them.The fire that burned from the internal bleeding was almost more than she could bear.She wished that Anubis were there to help her get the others.Him being dead already meant nothing to her.She loved him and there was going to be no way that she would quit fighting for something that he had fought so hard for in the past.

Grinning ferraly she looked about as bad as the guys when they were about to do something completely irrational.Drawing her Ninjato and a few suriken she leapt into the fray and started decimating the ranks of ninja there.The ninja had no idea what prompted this attack and so they quickly tried to overwhelm her.They quickly found out that coming with in the reach of her arm or her sword was a quick way to die again so they surrounded her waiting for her to lower her guard.She didn't and spun into the walls of her ninja made cage destroying more of the ninja.

It was a fight of suicide, she needed to get to the Obajan again and as she searched out the mind of the leader she 'ported herself to the spot and challenged the being with a slash across the midsection of its small lithe body.The resulting hiss made Mia start in surprise, what was it about that move that had taken the Obajan off guard.

As the Ninja leader drew it's sword, the challenge was accepted and they poured everything they had into the resulting battle.

The fight raged, each of the combatants taking the hits that got through and both of them now looking like they had crawled through a minefield.Only the masks stayed in place now as each cut exposed more and more flesh.Mia was loosing a lot of blood in this fight.But she was also moving fast and taking chunks out of the Ninja Obajan.Neither side was going to give in until the other was dead, that was an unspoken agreement and soon Mia noticed that the ranks of the Ninja were disappearing quickly outside of their battle.Looking around when she could she soon noticed that all of the armored warriors were looking beat, but they were here in the Limbo.

As they watched the fight the guys could only note the intensity and agree that it would probably be better if they stayed out of it in case they took on friendly fire.This was not lost on Mia as she quietly acknowledged this.~This fight is mine.If I can do one thing then you will be able to join the fight.But this is an impossible battle.~Anubis passed the message on and the others nodded that they understood and kept at the ready for what ever Mia had to do.

The battle intensified even more than it had before and as they all watched Kento could only think one thing.~Man am I glad she's on our side.Her information was NOT kidding when it said that she could take on the Armor of Inferno.~

He got dirty looks from everyone else but he just ignored them as he had been serious this time and not his usual irreverent self.As he watched the battle progress he noted that Mia was slowing down and hitting harder and smarter.Bits of the Obajan flew off in several directions as she cut away at the defenses.Soon she pulled a completely new move and as she spun she ripped the mask off with her free hand.

No one could believe what they saw under the mask.Even Anubis was shocked to see the face, and as he started to school his features back to their more benign look.Mia was absolutely infuriated and the others could only wonder at what had possessed the person to go to that length.

* * *

Ronins and Warlords are not mine....SilverRaven and the story idea are mine. Send Flames QC&C to [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	24. Chapter 23

The Obajan was unmasked.A small boy that looked like he could have been related to any one of them at one point or another was who was under the mask.The only thing that made the group take him seriously was how much damage he had dealt out to Mia and the others. 

He had Rowen's night blue eyes and intelligence, Mia's build, Sage's general charisma, Cye's hair and from the look in the eyes, Kento's stubbornness, and as the boy smiled they all noticed fangs that looked like they had come from Sekmet's pet snake.The other traits were less noticeable but equally there.Ryo's skill and talent in the martial arts, Cale's affinity to the shadows and darkness, Dais' cunning, Anubis' temperament/patience and Kayura's vitality.

As they each identified a piece of himself in this boy Ryo's temper almost got the better of him."What kind of sick perversion of nature are you??"He would have leapt at the boy except Anubis stepped in front of him and Cale and Sekmet grabbed him by the shoulders to restrain him.

"I am the worst in all of you.I found it in my opinion to be some of the best parts of you so I thought I would come together and see what I could do with these traits.The looks were a side effect of this little fun house experiment."He grinned at Anubis whom he knew was ready to ask a question.

"How is it that you 'seem' to know so much about us then."Anubis stayed where he was in front of Ryo since he could hear the boy struggling behind him to get free.

"Why I asked a friend of yours of course.He was ever so helpful since he wanted pretty much the same thing I wanted.Your eventual destruction, I just had one thing he never had.Patience enough to let a plan wind out to its bitter end."His laugh chilled them all except Mia.She was listening on a deeper level and knew that she had nothing to fear.Her own end would be one that she would write now.

"How is it then that you were able to come back then demon lord.I destroyed you all those years ago."SilverRaven took the fore and the others were now able to identify the spirit that inhabited the body.It was the Lord that SilverRaven had killed all that time ago to free/avenge the people that had suffered so under his heal.

"Lets just say that making a pact with the devil can be a most rewarding endeavor."His smirk made everyone want to smack him.Kento stepped forward and as he looked the boy over he shuddered."How do you know what the worst in all of us is then if you barely know us??"

"Oh come now Kento of Hardrock.I know that you struggle to retain your belief that your armor is not the bloodthirsty monstrosity that Dais told you it was.You to this day still wonder if you are the right one to be wearing the Armor of Hardrock."As Dais and Kento looked at each other one in apology and the other in shock, the little man laughed, delighted in the success of stirring up the old fears of one armor bearer.

"Well then, if you know so much about us, then you will know that we will never give up and that you will be destroyed in the end."Cye looked ready to pounce on the young man.A look that had the other ronin's scared since they all remembered what happened the last time he looked like that.Kento and Rowen subtly moved to flank the Torrent bearer in case he did decide to act on his own.They were a team and that was how they were going to fight.

Mia did not know what to do, but SilverRaven counseled her to patience as she had fought him before.He would make a mistake, and when that happened the full might of all nine ronin armors and her own would be unleashed on the doppelganger destroying him once and for all.

Then it happened.A flash of red passed them all and as everyone turned around to see what happened to Sekmet and Cale they found the two Warlords looking as confused as the rest of the group.One moment the pair had restrained Ryo and standing almost quietly behind Anubis, the next, he was flying past them all on a collision course with the young man that stood smirking before them all.

"You'll pay for every thing you have done and every life you have hurt for your own purposes.You will be made to suffer for every soul you tortured in every life you came to and were snuffed out from.On this I swear."Ryo drew his swords and as he came up to the Obajan everyone was surprised at how calm Ryo seemed after his burst of speed and temper.

On the other hand, Ryo was not calm at all.Instead he was channeling the furious angst into a different direction and as he walked up to the boy he moved faster than any one but Anubis could follow and when he was done the Obajan had a wound that looked like a Kanji on his cheek. 

The Obajan looked at the scarlet clad warrior and grinned."An effort, but in the end, ultimately futile."As he pulled himself together to try to heal the wound he found that it was bleeding red blood and not healing at all."Wh-What is this!!"The Obajan was shocked; a sword had touched him and wounded him.Now the wound would scar and he would have that mark for the rest of his unnatural life.

The others looked at the wound and were shocked.It was an ordinary Kanji, but what it meant was the mark of the Shinigami.The boy was marked for death now and it did not take a genius to figure that Ryo had channeled his rage and the burning fires of the Wildfire armor into a blow that would never heal magically.

Ryo only smiled slightly, pleased that what he had done had worked.The Wildfire armor had responded to his wish to mark the brat and so when it happened it was fast and painful.He turned around and looked at Sekmet and smirked, "Your turn snake lips, you all have an opening, and I recommend using it."

Sekmet looked like he was ready to pounce on Ryo but the insult of that creature behind Ryo was too much even for his reptilian patience and so he merely nodded and set his swords up for the Strike.The others got out of his way and Ryo glowed.Mia saw what he was doing and backed off over towards Anubis.~He is channeling his rage into Sekmet's Strike.Something about the purity of his anger and the combination of it and the Wildfire armor is able to make the wounds stay open on the Obajan.I thought I was the only one that could do that and make it stick.~

~Looks like Ryo has learned that his Armor can help him do many things that he never dreamed possible.Now all we have to do is to get them into the Inferno Armor and your battle will be much easier.~

The Obajan took that moment to strike back at the other warriors.Sekmet had struck and the venom was now in the system.He would live, but it would only be a half-life of torment.He would have his revenge and it would indeed be sweet.First he would take out that nuisance of a ronin, Ryo.Then he would break them all.One at a time, and one by one they would be begging him for the mercy that he would never show them.After all.What was the point of being the ultimate evil in this realm if you could not kill the opponents that would kill you with out a second thought?

As he jumped at Ryo, he drew his sword and prepared for the battle.Unfortunately he no longer had the edge since that damnable Mia had been training the little bastards that opposed him now about how to see him.No matter.This was a battle of skill anyways.But if he cheated what was the harm, except to maybe Wildfire.

Soon after this though passed the ninja showed up and the battle was on.As per orders, the ninja separated the fighting warriors from each other and the battle was fierce.Sekmet was dealing out damage left, right and down the middle with his poisoned blades and Kayura was mowing down the shadow warriors like grass with her own brand of Dynasty death on a platter.The others were doing the same, but it was soon painfully obvious that Ryo and the others were going to be over powered.Ryo was in a battle of his own with the Obajan and starting to tire again as his armor had not had a chance to revitalize.Since there was nothing in the Limbo except gray, no one except Cale and the ninja were fighting very well.Dais was doing reasonably well with making the Ninja think that there were more of him than any self respecting recycled spirit would want to think about taking on.

Mia however was struggling a bit though.Good as she and SilverRaven were, Mia still had her problem areas and she was taking far more hits because of the previous wounds that were still healing, than she should have been.Anubis and Cye noticed this and they fought their way to her aid.

Nodding her thanks she kept fighting over to Rowen who was in close combat, so he could not use his bow.His hand-to-hand skills were exceptional for a human with demon armor, but when it came to fighting hordes of ninja that seemed to come from all sides, he was being crushed.Mia nodded to Anubis and Cye and on that signal, Cye fired his sure kill, sweeping away the ninja that were around Rowen, and as soon as the ninja were away, Anubis brought the staff down casting a small protective circle around Rowen.

Rowen breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the press ease off.He leapt into the air and as he drew his bow from its place on his back he saw that Sage, Kento and Cale were closer to each other than to the others.Focusing in the center of the trio, he shot off several arrows gaining Sage's attention.As Sage looked up he saw a focused Rowen and got out of the way.Kento and Cale watched him dodge out of the way and as they both looked up at the warrior in blue they understood and got out of the way."Arrow...Shock...Wave!!!"The golden blast of energy added a glow to the entire battle area as the resulting explosion rocked the void.

* * *

Ronin Warrior and Warlords, Past present and Future are not mine...Just my characters and my story ideas. Send Flames QC&C to [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	25. Chapter 24

The Ninja were disappearing now and staying away from the battle scene.The ones that had been disbanded never returned now.The Obajan was now in a world of his own fighting against Mia/SilverRaven, the battle though fierce seemed to be in Mia's favor as she was relentless. 

As the guys all now had a chance to glance over to her once in a while, they all had a chance to see the will if the indomitable woman they had all known for the past few years now.What they saw amazed them as they now saw in action the very thing that made Talpa's fall a reality. 

Sekmet, Dais and Cale all nodded and renewed their pledges to guard the earth realm from the Dynasty.Kayura looked at her friends and nodded as she saw the renewal of the flames in their eyes as they fought harder, faster and better then they had.~Nothing like a shot of pride to help a battle go along.~ 

Anubis was busy keeping the stray ninja out of the fight between the Ninja Masters.He knew that Mia would be able to take care of them, but he wanted her to be able to focus on the final battle.There would be no return this time from the dead for this demon.Mia had pledged that silently with Anubis one evening before the battle and she intended to keep it. 

Ryo, Rowen, Kento, Cye and Sage all knew that Mia was tough in everything that she had been through, but they never realized that she had this kind of an iron will to hold out this long in a battle with out folding.They knew that she would not give up, and not having to watch out for Yulie this time around made things easier for her to fight. 

There was an air about the battle of victory for the Ronins and Warlords.The combined attacks were becoming easier for them all and they all knew that should they get in a bind that one of the others would be there shortly to watch their backs as they fought on. 

The color of the void was no longer gray as the blood and the auras changed its colors.Reds, greens, blues, purples, pinks, browns, blacks, and oranges colored the landscape now as the fighting energies bled into the fabric of the reality.Changing it from a void to a panorama of color and sound as weapons and sure-kills were used.

As the battle narrowed down to the battle between Mia and the Obajan, the silence was a welcome sound.Mia was able to focus more energy into what she was doing and her fighting style constantly changed.The changing style elicited respect from the Obajan, but in the end he still planned to kill her and take over the Mortal realm as his own. 

Mia had to win.As she fought she knew that the lives of her friends, old and new, depended on it.Almost to fast for the human eye to follow, she led the Obajan in a dance that was beautiful as it was deadly.One wrong move would mean certain death on one or the other.The sure-kills had been used and the hand to hand was flawless as they fought for everything they believed in.Blood marred the floors and with the footing precarious they did what they could to keep their footing and still kill the other.

Gone was the fancy fighting and high skills.It was down to bloody hit for hit fighting and damned was the one that quit the field.Hits landed and missed and both warriors were cut, bleeding limping and in some places missing pieces of their armor completely.This was the final battle. 

As Mia saw her opening to finally finish off the weakened Ninja master she gathered her energies.In that pause the Obajan collapsed slightly and gasped out in pain and breathlessness.Hold Ninja master! 

Mia stopped the preparation for her sure kill and looked at the young looking Ninja before her.Why do you call for me to hold?You know that the price of this battle is.Mia's odd resonating tone was condemning and completely devoid of mercy.Mia had lost many of her friends to these demon incursions.Both when Talpa invaded and when the Obajan killed her friends to get to her at the college. 

She felt no mercy to such a demon and instinctively she knew that he would never reform.Still, she listened to him.Something told her that this might be important and so she paused and listened and respond. 

SilverRaven, you know that I was once the cruel master that harmed all I saw.Beauty meant nothing to me and you knew that I would eventually return to this world to reclaim my ancient lineage and rights. 

It was never your right to rule as a Tyrant.Had you been a beneficent ruler.I would have never bothered you.But you were not, and I know you for what you really are.You are forever condemned.Mia hissed out in a tone that took every one by surprise. 

Mia readied her No-daitchi again for the sure-kill.She had hatred on her features and all who saw her were afraid.They knew how many friends she had buried, and that she was remembering every one of them now as she readied for a sure-kill that would forever deny the demon ninja master life in this realm. 

The Obajan looked at Mia and knew that the time was now.With her and the spirit distracted with the necessary moment to gather the energies for what would be his death blow it would be easy for him to kill her.Her friends would be next. 

Taking the short blade that he always held for such occasions, he sprung at the distracted ninja warrior.The movement was so smooth and graceful that none of the warriors there could react in time to prevent it. 

Mia screamed out in pain as the knife struck true to her heart.She brought the battle sword down on the ninja, but only managed a glancing blow as her strength faded.Her armor flickered and vanished to the sub armor.As she collapsed to the ground dead, she never saw the explosion that ripped them all out of the void and back into the Earth realm.

* * *

The Ronins are not mine. Nor will they be anytime soon unless i get incredibly lucky ;) SilverRaven is mine to take care of so be warned hehehe Flames QC&C all go to [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	26. Chapter 25

As everyone landed in the mortal realm.Sekmet and Dais as well as Cye and Kento were weakened as Hariel and the Inferno armor landed with Black Blaze.Rowen, Cale, Kayura, and Sage all landed nearby as Anubis dropped in the middle of them all with Mia tucked safely in his arms.

As the guys gathered, they could see the SilverRaven armor fading on their friend and her regular clothes showing through.

As the knife struck Mia, Ryo watched in horror as his friend fell in battle.The loss he felt after he felt Mia's life leave her caused a cataclysmic change in the Ronin of Virtue as he reached out and grabbed the four nearest armors to him.Everyone noted the sudden power shift as they saw Ryo virtually explode out of his own armor and into the Inferno armor.

His fury was so great that he did not even use the soul swords, as he called on the armor's sure-kill.The Rage of Inferno was so powerful, enhanced as it was by Ryo's on unbridled fury that it completely destroyed the void, dumping the warriors out and into their own world.

Everyone left Ryo at a distance as they realized that he had to deal with his rage.The armor had not returned to the other four warriors so they all knew that his fury must have been truly great to have held the energy to hold onto the armor for this long.

As they looked at Anubis, they noticed that the Warlords were stunned to see their onetime comrade at arms with tears in his eyes.They had known that he had loved Mia deeply, but they did not know that it would virtually destroy the man they once knew to be the cruelest of them all.

No one knew what to say to Anubis as he clutched the body of the woman they all loved in one way or another.The Ronins had seen her as a sister and friend.One of the best they would have ever asked for.The Warlords and Kayura had met her as a spirited woman in the battle against the Ronins.Her tenacity had won their respect and later after the final battle with Talpa it had won their love as a good friend.

Anubis had been the first to see beyond all that and into the heart of a good and caring woman.Her willingness to forgive him of his past crimes endeared her to him and her genuine feelings for him only caused him to reciprocate. He knew before that he would never be far from this woman's thoughts.He also knew that if he had it all to do over again, he would not have changed anything, except how this one battle came out in the end.

~Ronin and Warlord Warriors~the voice whispered to them.Ryo was the first to snap up."Shut up.Listen."

~Ronin Warriors, you were the best friends a person could ask for.Warlords, your pasts had been forgiven long ago.Now you have managed to forgive each other for deeds of the past and you can move forward.~the voice continued to whisper.

Tears in all of their eyes they all wondered how they would move on from this.Each of them felt like they had lost something vital that day when they lost Mia.

"Tell me, Just how do you expect us to go on.I loved her.I still do, and now fate seems to have taken her from me again."Anubis spoke softly; his voice was choked with emotion as he questioned the voice.He had held the hope that there would be a way for him to remain with Mia after the battle with the Obajan had finished.Now it was like he was half shadow again with out the woman he loved there.

~Tell me Anubis, Do you truly love her.Would you sacrifice everything for her including your friends if necessary?~The voice was a little stronger as the conviction set in.

Anubis's eyes widened as he heard the words.He could not sacrifice the Ronins or the Warlords for this.But a Black gloved and White Gauntleted hand came to rest on his shoulder.Looking up sharply, he noticed that Ryo had regained the control over his own rage and had heard everything.

Looking into the former warlord's eyes he nodded.Anubis then knew that the warlords and Ronins were willing to give up everything to protect Mia and keep her alive.Closing his eyes in gratitude he spoke to the spirit."I can not sacrifice my friends and the people they care about to save one life.However they have let me know that they will willingly give everything up to save Mia.Including their lives."

~Your friends are brave Anubis.They are strong steadfast and they will never let you or each other down.This is a bravery and friendship that is rare and true.For this Friendship and the love that ties you all together there is a way to bring your friend back.But only of she wishes to return.~

Everyone jumped up at that.They all knew that Mia loved them all.But if they would get her back then they would all help."How do we do this."

~Anubis.You must don the armor of Hariel of the Inferno.Only with its power combined with the power of the staff of the Ancients will you be able to go to her to see her back if she wishes to return.~

Anubis was shocked.He did not think that he would have to don armor again.His was the path of peace, but the voice was right.He would need the infinate abilities of the Inferno armor as well as the staff to get her back.

He looked at Kayura who nodded and armored down out of the Ogre armor and passed the Crystal back to its former owner.With no ceremony he quietly surged into the Armor of Cruelty once more and looked at Ryo.Ryo nodded and as he focused the power of the Inferno he felt his own armor leave with it to go to Anubis.~Six Armors in the Inferno armor.Can Anubis handle it??~ he wondered to himself.

Anubis felt the surge of the Inferno armor as it came to him.And he knew for the first time why it was so hard on the Ronin of Wildfire the first time he used it.The power took a bit of the person with it and as the power would leave him.Anubis knew that he too would be weakened or he might not even survive the power down.All was worth it though if he could get Mia back.

* * *

Warning. SilverRaven is mine. The ronins and Mia are not mine so take care. Flames QC&C go to [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	27. Chapter 26

As Anubis took the staff of the Ancients, he looked at his friends.Some of them were one time enemy's and others were the closest comrades he could have asked for in battle.All of them were now close friends and he knew that they may all lose their lives in this venture.But they would all gladly pay the price if it would save Mia.

They all listened to the voice as it instructed Anubis to meditate and completely focus on Mia.Sage was the first to follow Anubis into the Meditation position and as the others followed they realized that they might have a chance of making the link stronger if they formed the protective circle about Anubis.

As they completed the circle, Ronin and warlord alike started meditation and found that through a small secondary link to the armors, they could see what Anubis was doing.

----

As Anubis started the Spirit walk through his mind and to Mia he saw a great many souls that he had killed in his time as a Warlord to Talpa and he wondered that they were not trying to kill him here and now for the transgressions against them in the past.

~Anubis, the transgressions of the past are of no matter to these people now.You have set them free from the terror and the oppression that they felt in their lives and they are grateful for the freedom that they have now.~

Anubis was astonished that he had done these people a favor when he killed them.For he remembered that he had enjoyed every kill, bathed in its murderous ways he embraced the cold cruel killer he had become and fed on it.

Shuddering lightly he moved past those memories as he looked around for Mia.Looking to the staff he meditated for a moment to get his bearings and then as he felt the staff pull in one direction he silently thanked the guidance he had been given and took off at a full run to find his heart again.

----

Dais, Cale and Sekmet each breathed a sigh of relief as they watched Anubis move through his memories.Cye and the others had been astonished at the memories and the emotions that went with them. They were also grateful with the fact that Anubis had seen the way to the good in his soul.Each silently thanked the Ancient for what he had done for Anubis and then watched on as he found the way to Mia.

----

Anubis ran through the group of people to the next looking and calling out for Mia.He had to find her.Desperate as he was he knew that if he could not find her then the others would not be able to either and then all hope for getting her back would be lost.

He prayed in his heart that he would find her and he hoped with everything he had that she would still love him enough to come back to the pain and reality of the world of the living.

The lights were getting stronger and as he ran he found that instead of weighing down on him as it had before, the Armor of Inferno was getting lighter and easier to move in as he moved faster than he ever did in the Cruelty armor alone.

~You are now starting to appreciate the powers of the Inferno armor.Remember, they will help you do anything that you will need.~

----

The guys were all surprised at the knowledge that Anubis was really able to endure everything that was happening.The Inferno armor really took a lot out of the wearer and yet Anubis did not seem to be feeling the stress of it all just yet.Ryo knew that that may not have been the case since he only wore the armor for maybe the time it took for him to destroy Talpa the first time and he was completely wiped out.

Ryo knew then that Anubis was really pushing his limits by wearing the armor as long as he planned to.

----

Anubis knew that he was getting closer to Mia as he felt the staff's pull to the woman getting stronger and more urgent.

As he looked about him in the most recent crowd of people that passed over he looked about and just ahead of the group of people he saw the familiar Auburn hair of Mia swaying gently behind her as she walked on to the area of peace after the life she had lived.

"Mia!"Anubis called out to her as he neared to his destination."Mia wait.I must speak with you."

Mia turned slowly as if she were in a dream and looked at him.Almost not recognizing him in the inferno armor she smiled at him when she did recognize him.

"Anubis, Will you be coming with me, Was I wrong and unable to save the others?"Her smile turned to a soft frown as she worried that she had not been able to save her friends from destruction.

"Mia, please."He reached out to her and took her into his arms.Holding her close he whispered to her."You were killed by the Obajan.Ryo out of vengeance and desperation donned the Inferno armor and killed the Obajan while destroying the void in the process."

Mia was stunned.Looking about her she noticed that there was a distinct lack of scenery about them as Anubis spoke to her.Noting that he was not troubled with the lack of scenery she looked at him again."I am dead??What has happened to SilverRaven??"

"I do not know.I knew that you or she or one of the others would die in the attempt to kill the Obajan.But I did not know what would happen to the SilverRaven armor should the Bearer perish in the battle."Anubis was a little concerned about Mia.She was not taking any of this with her normal calm and rational thoughts as he thought that she would.~However~ he thought to himself.~Dying is a pretty big deal when you are talking to someone who knows that you are dead and telling you that you died.~

"The others lived then?"Mia's instincts about the others and her faith in their armors started to reassert itself as she looked at Anubis.Her logic was coming back as well.How would Anubis have the Inferno armor if the others did not survive the final blast that took out the Obajan.

As Mia looked into Anubis' eyes she saw that he was waiting to ask her something.Holding him close she asked."What is it that you have to ask me love?You know that you can ask me anything."

Anubis was still troubled as he looked down at the woman that had taken his heart.Smiling softly he started.

"Mia, you know that for a very long time I have loved you and cared about you.When I died I thought that I had gone to hell because I was not able to be with you.However the one thing that made our separation bearable was the fact that I was able to protect you and save you from Kayura, Talpa and the others in that final battle with my former master."

"Now it is several years later and you have come into the inheritance of the SilverRaven spirit armor of legend.You successfully learned about it and learned to use it to destroy the Obajan that the Creator of the armor defeated.You no longer need a protector as you have been taught more about battles then the Ronins knew before their first battle with Talpa and his dark dominion."

"I came after you on this day to ask you to return to us.Those that love you.The Ronins that see you as an older sister and someone that they would protect till the ends of time, the Warlords, Whom you have gained their respect and their love as a friend.They would go to the ends of both realms for you to protect the Mortal Realm and the Dynasty as well as you from all comers.Kayura who finally realized that you are wise in your own way and knowing more about the armors than she will have time to find out for a while, now respects you and wants to learn what you know about the nine armors and the Inferno armor so that she may lead the Dynasty better and protect both realms."

"All of them wish for your return to the living realm to be with them again.They all love you and the one that is taking your loss the hardest is Ryo.He held onto the inferno armor long after the battle with the Obajan was finished because his fury continued to fuel his armor of Wildfire and the inferno armor."

"They have put their trust in me to bring you back.They have also placed their lives in my hands.There is the chance that something could go wrong in my trying to bring you back to the mortal realm and all of them.Ronin and Warlord would perish in the attempt.Yet they all feel that this is a necessary risk to take so that they might see you again."

* * *

the Ronins are not mine. The Warlords are not mine. Mia is not mine. However SilverRaven is mine and no one can take her MWUAHAHAHAHA!! ;) ok now that I have that out of my system. Flames QC&C get sent to [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



	28. Chapter 27

Anubis spoke quickly but passionately to Mia as he could see the belief in her eyes.She missed the guys terribly now that she thought about them and she knew that she would never be happy anywhere that she would not be around them.

Kento, who was always good for a laugh or two during her blue days.

Cye, who was the best listener and friend any one could ask for.Whenever she had guy troubles in understanding the other sex, she could always turn to him for help and not get laughed at.

Ryo, Who pushed her to be the best that she could be in anything she ever did.Always challenging her to do better in her practices or in school with his silly little competitions.

Sage, who taught her the value of meditation and how to be alone, but never lonely during those times.

Rowen, Who was always there when she hit a snag in her thoughts and needed someone to help her get her ideas thought out or her reports to sound better than they did.

As she thought about her five closest friends she thought about Yulie and how he was always there to help take care of White Blaze.Those two were almost as close as Ryo and the Tiger had been.White Blaze was always there when she was dealing with strangers at her door who were being pushy about her living alone or living with the guys.

Yulie had grown into the way of the sword and honor much like Sage.This was to everyone's surprise since he idolized Ryo so much during the battles that they had been in in the past.

She thought about the Warlords and the day they came back to the mortal realm.Everyone had been on edge, but then they all proved themselves to have truly changed.The only thing that took them all a long time to do was get along with out getting into a major fist fight after an insult or two was thrown. 

Dais had taught her how to trust him even when he was being a pain to the guys and pulling his old tricks with Kento.

Cale had always been a considerate listener and had some surprising insights into the human mind.He knew more about the way most people worked than even his closest friends gave him credit for and she always had a good conversation with him no matter the subject since he was also a rather learned man for his ways.

Sekmet had taught her about field healing and how to look beyond the front layer of everything.He was not so bad once she got used to his slightly sibilant speech.She could tell that he was really trying to make up for his past as he found ways to counteract the poisons that he let lose on the world during the time of Talpa's reign and the battles with the Ronin Warriors.

Anubis had already more than made up for his past with the Ronin's when he perished in the successful attempt to free Kayura from Badamon's hold.It was at that point that the tide of the battle turned in the Ronin's favor and they were able to destroy Talpa for good.

Kayura had made a formal apology to each of the Ronins alone and as she worked with Mia and the others on bringing the Dynasty up to a better standard she learned that there was more to Talpa that first met the eye.His constant scheming extended beyond the time when he perished and she had to work with everyone to gain a firm and yet fair control on the Dynasty realm.

These were her closest friends that she could ever hope for in her life.She was crazy if she thought that what ever was on the other side of the light would be better than what she had out there in the real world.She knew somehow on the instinctive level that it was not yet her time and that she would probably outlive the Ronins and the Warlords if they had anything to say about it.Yet as she thought about things she realized that she had not heard all of Anubis' feelings on the subject matter.

"Anubis?"She looked up into those blue-green eyes that had never failed to capture her in them."What do you want?If you are going to go back to the realm of the dead after all of this.What good would it do for me to go back?I would be alone again.If I were to continue the path of me being dead.Then at least I would see you again soon."She looked down at her feet.

"I know that is a terribly selfish thing for me to think.ButI have been putting the Mortal realm and my friends ahead of me for so long.Even at your expense when you died.Now I have a chance to be at peace with everything I have done and I want to be a little selfish.I want to be with you."

Anubis smiled as he heard her words and understood what she meant He loved her deeply and wanted to be selfish too.But always something came in the way.Saving the Mortal realm was a full time job and he and Mia were never able to be together in the way that they wanted to be.They knew that they were right in wanting to be a little selfish.Now in the moment that they could be together they realized that there was again.The possibility that they would not be together again.

"Would you risk it though Mia?Would you risk us just knowing that there was a chance that I would be able to be with you?Would you make the guys live with out you in this manner knowing that you were dead and that you had made the choice that you did not want to live just on the chance that you would be with me sooner?"It hurt him deeply to have to ask those questions.But he knew that he had to make her see all sides of the issue and see what was at stake here before he could ask for her decision.

"Mia we all love you.Please come back to us??"The image of Ryo appeared by Mia and soon they were surrounded by the others.Each of them reaffirmed what Anubis told her about how they felt about her and what they felt about her being gone from them in this manner.

As the images vanished she realized that the inferno armor had provided them all with the link in which to speak with her just for that short moment.It was also in that one moment that no matter what happened, she would not be able to continue down the current path that she had chosen.

Peace from the battles sounded like a good thing since the vigilance over the mortal realm was tiring and the loneliness away from Anubis was almost unbearable.But it was these 9 friends that made that time bearable.They knew her and they knew that in the time she would be alive, she would never love any one like she loved Anubis.They accepted it and helped her to ease her grief on her bad days and they were with her when she knew that she would need them the most.

As selfish as she wanted to be she knew that she would never be able to deny them their greatest wish.They wanted to be her protectors. They loved her enough to put their lives at risk over and over again because she believed in them.She knew now that she would have to repay their trust in her and return.Now was not her time.If Anubis were to be taken from her again.It would be a hard time for all.

Both Mia and Anubis felt another presence as she looked at him to speak of her final decision.When they looked around they saw a woman in black shadow armor.Instantly Mia recognized the Woman from the person she saw in her mind."SilverRaven.Why did you come?"

"Mia, I had to come because I knew what your decision would be.I too have made a decision and I will share it with you when you make your decision."She backed off and let Mia and Anubis have a few moments of time to themselves. 

"Anubis.I will return.I love you and the others too much to leave right now.You know that.You knew it when you came for me."Her quietly stated words matched the soft joy in Anubis' eyes as he leaned down to her.Kissing her softly he could feel her through his armor wrap her arms around him in the loving embrace she never permitted herself before.He knew then that no matter what.He would be by her side always, and he would sell his own soul to do it.

As they parted SilverRaven stepped up to them and smiled softly."The ties that bind us all are those of love.They can never be broken, only changed, whether they are changed into something stronger or weaker is up to you.My decision is actually a gift of sorts."

As she laid her hand on Mia and then on Anubis, SilverRaven's spirit glowed brilliantly and then as the light died down.Mia was found clad in the SilverRaven Armor."This is my gift to you.You have a heart and soul stronger than any I have met in all of my years of wandering.Your Love of the mortal world and the wish to protect your friends even though they were able to protect you shows that you are a kind and loving person.It is your strength and in this we shared a common bond.I loved the people I protected from harm.Now I have found someone who can release my spirit from the Armor that I created."

"I thought that if your spirit was released from the Armor, it would cease to be the armor that you made it into."Mia was a little puzzled until Anubis laid his hand on her shoulder and kissed her cheek.

"Mia, I think that SilverRaven is referring to the fact that with six of the nine armors here and the Staff of the Ancient to link the others to me, we can make the SilverRaven armor a tenth Ronin armor.One that should have been from the beginning."

As the confusion cleared Mia nodded in agreement."I know that she deserves to rest.Her oath was fulfilled and I am willing to be the bearer of the SilverRaven armor."

SilverRaven smiled as she heard this and she nodded her agreement. "Thank you."

Anubis gathered the staff and started the chant that had created the original Ronin and Warlord armors.Mia started glowing as the magic's started taking hold of the armor around her.She felt it change and knew in her minds eye that what she was seeing was the changes being made to the armor.The Subarmor was being changed to a black and dark blue and gray subarmor with the Ninja coverings being a separate level.The main armor was still as it was but instead of a helmet to protect her she had a circlet that held her hair back.The helmet would come from the circlet should she get into a full-fledged battle.Her weapons became sleeker and better fitting to Mia's style and her reach in the armor.She retained them all but was just placed better for how she fought.

She saw the armor reform around her and as she opened her eyes again she felt the Kanji that she had seen on the others form on her forehead.She knew that hers would be that of "abiding love".She also knew when the link with SilverRaven had been severed, as she could not feel the extra presence about her any longer.

Looking over at SilverRaven she knew that her Spirit was freed and as they bowed to each other in farewell, Anubis took Mia's hand to lead her home and SilverRaven continued down the path that Mia had been traveling shortly before.

"It is time Anubis.Time to go home."Mia smiled softly to the man she loved as she knew about the real gift that SilverRaven had given them.

Anubis kissed her softly and then turned to the staff.As they followed it home the light dimmed and soon all was black.A soft light and voices soon had Mia opening her eyes and she realized that she was in the middle of the Circle of Protection gathered up in Anubis' arms.Looking up at him she smiled at the look of worry in his eyes as it changed to a look of such loving tenderness that she could not help it.She reached up to him and kissed him deeply.

As they kissed the Armor of Inferno dissipated and the energies returned to their owners.Anubis picked her up after he completely armored down and as she realized that she was fully armored again and healed of her wounds.She focused quietly and banished the armor to the Kanji Crystal that hung around her neck by a small silver chain.The crystal was smaller than that of the other armors.But no one mistook it for anything but the most powerful individual armor of the group.

Mia was one of them now, but no one wanted to celebrate.At least not until Mia smiled at them all."Anubis is not leaving us any time soon now."As she looked at the inquiring looks she kissed him softly."Anubis.SilverRaven gave you a gift as well for helping her and me."

Everyone wanted to party then.Anubis had another chance at life!Anubis had other ideas though as he looked at the others he put Mia down on the ground and then had the others gather about.

"Mia.You know that I can love no other.I know that you feel the same way about me but I cannot put this off any longer.To do so would cause trouble in the future for my conscience."

As Anubis dropped to one knee he pulled a small ring out of his sleeve."Mia Koji.I am going to be plain about this."He took a deep breath and then as he looked up at her and into those eyes he loved so much he uttered the words."Mia, Will you marry me?"

Mia grabbed him by the arms and hauled him off his knee and then pulled him down to her level and kissed him soundly.When she had released him she smiled."Yes.You know that I will."

Everyone cheered at that and backs were slapped and hands shaken as congratulations were passed around.As they walked back to Mia's house.Plans were already in the works for the wedding and as the sun set behind them.Mia could only sigh in happiness.Finally everything with the world was right.

* * *

Well guys. That's it. As i have mentioned countless other times. I do not own the Ronins and SilverRaven is Mine. Please let me know what you think. Send Flames QC&C to [Dragon Dagger][1]

   [1]: mailto:dragon_dagger@hotmail.com



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